An urgent but precautionary recall on many of our favourite brands of frozen vegetables is underway due to the possible risk of Listeria Passed on through food, Listeria Monocytogenes is a bacteria that can cause the dangerous illness listeriosis. Worryingly, you can contract listeriosis and not even know it - the disease killed six people in NSW and Victoria earlier this year. Listeria monocytogenes symptoms According to Women's Weekly , symptoms of Listeria monocytogenes can include a headache, fever, tiredness and aches and pains. Diarrhoea, nausea and stomach cramps are less common. In severe cases, symptoms may progress to meningitis and blood poisoning. Pregnant women may have very mild symptoms, but the infection can lead to serious consequences, such as miscarriage or premature birth. People more at risk of developing listeriosis include pregnant women and their unborn babies, newborns, elderly people who are frail, and anyone whose immune system has been weakened – for example, cancer patients or people with Aids, diabetes or kidney disease. Listeriosis symptoms usually appear within two to 30 days of eating contaminated food, but it can take as long as two months for signs to show up.<doc-sep>Popular brands of frozen vegetables are being recalled from supermarkets across Australia over fears of potential contamination by the deadly listeria bacteria, which killed six people in NSW and Victoria earlier this year. Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) on Monday issued an alert for a number of brands of vegetable products across Aldi, Woolworths and IGA stores. Some of the vegetables were imported from Europe, and the recall in Australia comes after recent recalls in the United Kingdom over the same contamination fears. Major brands affected Belgium-based frozen food distributor Greenyard Frozen NV is conducting the recall of its products. The following products sold in Australia have been included in the recall: Woolworths - Essentials snap frozen mixed veg 1kg: Carrots, peas, corn, green beans & potatoes – National distribution. Best before dates 19 MAR 2020 through to 24 APR 2020 - Essentials snap frozen mixed veg 1kg: Carrots, peas, corn, green beans & potatoes – National distribution. Best before dates 19 MAR 2020 through to 24 APR 2020 Woolworths - Bell Farms Steam Veggie Carrot Corn and Broccoli 3pk 450g – National distribution, all stock - Bell Farms Steam Veggie Carrot Corn and Broccoli 3pk 450g – National distribution, all stock IGA - Black & Gold Corn Kernels 500g – National distribution. Best before all dates - Black & Gold Corn Kernels 500g – National distribution. Best before all dates IGA - Black & Gold Mixed Vegetables 1kg: Carrots, peas, beans & corn – National distribution. Best before all dates - Black & Gold Mixed Vegetables 1kg: Carrots, peas, beans & corn – National distribution. Best before all dates ALDI - Market Fare Peas, Carrots and Super Sweet Corn 1kg – National distribution - Market Fare Peas, Carrots and Super Sweet Corn 1kg – National distribution ALDI - Market Fare Corn Kernels 1kg QLD, VIC, WA and select NSW stores. Product of Hungary (only) - Market Fare Corn Kernels 1kg QLD, VIC, WA and select NSW stores. Product of Hungary (only) ALDI - Market Fare Mixed Vegetables 1kg QLD, NSW, ACT, WA. Packed in Belgium from imported and Belgian ingredients (only) - Market Fare Mixed Vegetables 1kg QLD, NSW, ACT, WA. Packed in Belgium from imported and Belgian ingredients (only) ALDI - Market Fare Quick Steam Carrot Broccoli and Cauliflower 450g – National distribution - Market Fare Quick Steam Carrot Broccoli and Cauliflower 450g – National distribution ALDI - Market Fare Quick Steam Carrot Corn and Broccoli 450g – National distribution - Market Fare Quick Steam Carrot Corn and Broccoli 450g – National distribution ALDI - Only products with country of origin of Belgium, United Kingdom or Hungary. All other countries not affected What is listeriosis? Listeriosis is a serious and sometimes fatal bacterial infection Listeriosis is a serious and sometimes fatal bacterial infection Symptoms can include fever, headaches, cramps, aches and pains, nausea and diarrhoea Symptoms can include fever, headaches, cramps, aches and pains, nausea and diarrhoea It can be fatal in newborns, elderly people and people with a weakened immune system Earlier this year a listeria outbreak linked to contaminated rockmelons claimed six lives in NSW and Victoria. The peak body for Australian vegetable growers, AUSVEG, said the national recall involved imported products only, not locally grown produce. Chief executive officer James Whiteside said new labelling laws in Australia show a product's country of origin. Mr Whiteside downplayed any serious damage to local growers from the publicity surrounding the recall. "There may be a short-term impact but, by and large, the incidence in Australian-grown product [of] these sorts of outbreaks is very, very low," he said. "I don't think growers will be overly concerned and they have faith in the ability of the public to make informed decisions about the food that they buy." Recall follows deaths in the UK FSANZ spokeswoman Lorraine Haase said there had not been any evidence of infections in Australia, but a number of people had died in the United Kingdom. "This is a precautionary recall, to make sure people are aware and can remove products from their freezers," she said. The European Food Safety Authority said there had been 47 cases including nine deaths since an outbreak in Europe in 2015 linked to the affected vegetables. The same strains of the bacteria had been detected in frozen vegetables produced by the same Hungarian company in 2016, 2017 and 2018. This suggested the strains had persisted in the processing plant despite the cleaning and disinfection procedures that were carried out. According to Food Standards Australia, the affected products should be either returned to supermarkets for a refund or thrown in the bin.<doc-sep>Australia has become caught up in a European food scare, with supermarkets across the country recalling bags of frozen vegetables over fears they may contain a deadly bacteria.<doc-sep>
A person has died from a strain of listeria similar to one that triggered a recall of popular brands of frozen vegetables across Australia, but it is not possible to confirm a direct link to one of the products, the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) says. The person died earlier this year and was being treated for another serious illness, so it is not possible to confirm if they had consumed any of the vegetables, the department said. A number of frozen vegetable brands sold at Aldi, Woolworths and IGA stores were recalled from supermarkets across Australia over fears of potential contamination by the listeria bacteria. The Victorian case was retrospectively linked to the strain in Europe that led to the recall. It had the same serotype and similar genetics. The unidentified person's family asked that no further details be released. It is the first case in Australia linked to the vegetables. Some of the frozen vegetable brands that have been recalled. ( Supplied: FSANZ The department said everyone should follow the recall advice issued on Monday by Food Safety Australia New Zealand. Listeriosis is an illness caused by eating contaminated food and can grow in food at refrigeration temperatures. It is uncommon but can be dangerous for pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. What is listeriosis? Listeriosis is a serious and sometimes fatal bacterial infection Listeriosis is a serious and sometimes fatal bacterial infection Symptoms can include fever, headaches, cramps, aches and pains, nausea and diarrhoea Symptoms can include fever, headaches, cramps, aches and pains, nausea and diarrhoea It can be fatal in newborns, elderly people and people with a weakened immune system Earlier this year a listeria outbreak linked to contaminated rockmelons claimed six lives in NSW and Victoria. Some of the vegetables were imported from Europe, and the recall in Australia comes after products were removed from shelves in the United Kingdom over the same contamination fears. About 20 per cent of frozen vegetables sold in Australia are from overseas. The European Food Safety Authority said there had been 47 cases including nine deaths since an outbreak in Europe in 2015 linked to the affected vegetables. The same strains of the bacteria had been detected in frozen vegetables produced by the same Hungarian company in 2016, 2017 and 2018. The following products sold in Australia have been included in the recall: