My phone and computer blew up today with a list of all different kinds of products being recalled, but I think the one that affects me most is Organic Blueberries Recalled ~ Deadly Listeria Contamination. And I’m not the only one noticing. Green Matters reported on it too.
Alma Pak is the packer/shipper out of Atlanta, Georgia.
What is Listeria?
According to the government this bacteria jumps from food to food. Not only can it make you sick but it can kill you. The one’s that are more ‘to watch out for’ are:
And I did hear about some recent deli meats and recalls. But, fruits and vegetables? Even organic fruit like Blueberries?
I thought my daughter was a little over the top when I saw her rinsing the produce in baking soda. But actually, kids today (in their 30’s) with their own kids are really protective and on top of things. And as it turns out and the facts come in, even Organic Blueberries are being recalled, and not because it makes you sick. It’s because people are dying from the experience. I mean food poisoning is one thing, where you spend a whole day vomiting …. death is another.
Baking soda or baking powder rinse?
Our AI bot has this to say:
Rinse vegetables with baking soda, not baking powder.
Baking Soda Use:
- Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is effective for cleaning vegetables.
- It helps remove dirt, pesticides, and bacteria.
- To use, mix a solution of water and baking soda (about 1 teaspoon per 2 cups of water) and soak or scrub the veggies.
Last year, Boars Head Deli Meats had the same Listeria breakout. So this spans across some of our most trusted brands. In one case of deli meat, 60 people were hospitalized and there were 10 deaths.
A couple of years ago, that was another listeria recall. The government tries to track these things, but here’s what they say: “This outbreak may not have been limited to the states with known illnesses, and the true number of sick people was likely higher than the number reported. This is because some people recover without medical care and are not tested for Listeria”.
So, when you hear numbers, you can probably consider it times 100. Makes sense that this goes unreported a lot.
I will remind you, if you heat your deli meat, you are safer. If you wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly and even take a second step and rinse it in baking soda, then make sure you rinse the residual baking soda off as
well.
How to Keep yourself Safe
Here’s what the government says:
- Germs that cause food poisoning can survive in many places and spread around your kitchen.
- Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm or cold water before, during, and after preparing food and before eating.
- Always wash hands after handling uncooked meat, chicken and other poultry, seafood, flour, or eggs.
- Wash your utensils, cutting boards, and countertops with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item.
- Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running water.
Separate: don’t cross-contaminate.
- Raw meat, chicken and other poultry, seafood, and eggs can spread germs to ready-to-eat food unless you keep them separate.
- When grocery shopping, keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and their juices away from other foods.
- Keep raw or marinating meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from all other foods in the refrigerator.
Keep yourself and your family safe!
With garlic, gusto & gratitude,
Chef Marian🥂
📧 ChefMarianKitchenConfident@gmail.com
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