USDA Finds Less Listeria in Meat, Poultry

10/23/2003 USDA Finds Less Listeria in Meat, Poultry - 10/17 SF Gate

Of 7,500 samples, 0.75 percent were positive for listeria monocytogenes last year -- a 25 percent drop from 2001 and half of the percentage of positive samples found in 2000, officials with the department's Food Safety and Inspection Service said.

"FSIS has taken aggressive action to prevent contamination of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products by listeria monocytogenes, and our testing is verifying that our programs are effective," said Garry McKee, administrator of the food safety agency.

Department officials noted they saw a drop despite an increase in testing for the bacteria.

Last year, Pilgrim's Pride, the owner of Wampler Foods in Pennsylvania, issued one of the largest recalls in history for 27.4 million pounds of sliced deli poultry after government officials found listeria in a floor drain.

It was the same strain found in an outbreak that killed eight people and sickened 45 others.

The investigation also led another company, J.L. Foods in New Jersey, to recall more than 4 million pounds of chicken and turkey sandwich meat because inspectors found a similar strain there.

Listeria is especially dangerous for pregnant women, children and the elderly. It causes flu-like symptoms and sometimes can be deadly and cause stillbirths.

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Food Safety and Inspection Service: www.fsis.usda.gov

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