Listeria Bacteria Found in Enoki Mushrooms and Why It's Dangerous

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Between March-April 2020, Listeria bacterial infection affects several people in the United States, Canada and Australia. This happened after the patients consumed Enoki mushroom supplied from South Korea Sun Hung Foods, Inc. Based on the CDC report from 2016 - 2019 specimens from 17 countries listeria bacteria infecting up to 36 people.

Then what is this Listeria bacteria? How dangerous is it for health? And why can this bacterium contaminate Enoki mushroom products?

The full name is Listeria Monocytogenes bacteria. A type of pathogenic bacteria (parasite) which contaminates many dairy-based processed products such as yogurt, cheese, ice cream, further research shows that Listeria bacteria can also contaminate raw meat and vegetables.

Listeria bacteria can cause Foodborne disease, which is a disease that arises due to the entry of pathogenic microorganisms into the body that are delivered by food. The disease caused by Listeria bacteria is called Listeriosis. Prone to infect pregnant women, the elderly, toddlers, people with weak immunity.

The initial symptoms that arise can be different for each patient, but the common symptoms that often arise are headache, high fever, loss of balance, aches, muscle aches, stiff neck, abdominal pain, nausea, convulsions, shortness of breath and diarrhea, the worst conditions can even cause death.

In pregnant women, can cause miscarriage, babies born prematurely, stillbirth, deformed. Elderly people aged 65 years and over have a 4x risk of being infected with listeria, due to a decreased immune system so the organs are unable to recognize and cleanse the body of viruses or bacteria that enter. Acidic factor
the stomach also plays an important role to kill germs, in elderly people the condition of stomach acid decreases. Listeria bacteria are very dangerous and need precautions to break the chain of contamination. Such as the destruction of food products that are suspected of being contaminated.

Listeria bacteria can grow in aerobic (oxygenated) or anaerobic (without oxygen) places, surviving at temperatures of -0.4°C to 45°C. Living in a humid environment, soil, decaying vegetation, water, animals, air conditioners and preserved food, frozen foods. Being able to live in cold temperatures, it automatically has the potential to cross-contaminate other food products. And these Listeria bacteria will die at 75°C heating.

The process of transmitting Listeria bacteria can go through 3 things, from the initial process of selecting food ingredients, processing it to recitation. Contamination of cooking utensils also has the potential for transmission. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States says that Listeria is the 3rd leading cause of death from food poisoning.

To prevent it from being spread massively is to avoid consuming foods that are at risk of contamination with listeria bacteria such as enoki mushrooms, raw or unpasteurized milk, unpasteurized milk preparations, and processed meats.

Steps that can be taken to prevent infection with listeria bacteria by FDA Food and Drugs Administration said that the right temperature at 4°C or lower -18°C in order to slow the growth of bacteria and limit food storage time (consumption of food as fast as possible do not store it too long) is the main key to prevention, can suppress transmission factor up to 50%. Wash food ingredients and cooking utensils thoroughly in running water / hot water, and avoid consuming raw food.

Prevention is better than cure, listeria bacteria are very dangerous, we never know which foods are safe from bacterial contamination. Avoid consuming food that is suspected to be contaminated, and take the right steps for food processing. stay healthy😉