A bacterium that can grow at refrigeration temperatures and poses a serious risk to pregnant women and other vulnerable people.
Listeria monocytogenes can grow slowly at refrigeration temperatures, so keeping food cold slows but does not stop it. This makes time limits and date marking on chilled ready-to-eat foods especially important.
Pregnant women, newborns, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. In pregnancy it can cause miscarriage or stillbirth, so higher-risk foods are best avoided.
Soft and semi-soft cheeses, cold deli meats, pate, pre-prepared or pre-cut salads and fruit, smoked seafood, soft serve and unpasteurised dairy are commonly named higher-risk foods.
The incubation period can be long and variable, sometimes up to several weeks. This delay can make it difficult to link illness back to a particular food.
Follow Standard 3.2.2A where it applies, keep strict temperature control, observe use-by dates, clean and sanitise thoroughly, and avoid higher-risk foods for vulnerable groups in line with health guidance.