Nationwide Listeria Outbreak Affects Vegetables

[Rajun Gardener]

This is old news, I posted before looking for a date and it from Oct 2017 but some may still be on shelves.


http://www.thedaily4news.com/alert-n...mplete-list-2/

[greenthumbomaha]

Thank you for posting. I tossed an unopened bag of kale and mixed greens Wal Mart type brand last week as a result of your alert. A small sample size tested positive but better safe than sorry.

- Lisa

[Rajun Gardener]

I'm glad you took the safe route.

If you subscribe to the FDA site you would be surprised how many recalls are out there.

Somewhere in here a an option to subscribe.
https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/u..._source=Eloqua

[greenthumbomaha]

I just looked at your post again and t seemed like more than a day ago!

Bumping so everyone can see the FDA recall sign up.

- Lisa

[BigVanVader]

Get your greens from local farmers and you wont need to worry about it. Recent research proves that the longer since a product was cut the more likely it will become contaminated. The bacteria start to grow as soon as the cut is made, but typically don't multiply enough to harm you. Ofc soil health is also a main factor because if all the good bacteria is dead then the bad can colonize a open wound much faster. So again, buy local from organic producers, and you will never have to worry about this again.

[bower]

One of the main reasons and a timely reminder to stay on top of our greens supply even in the winter. Ship time is long to get here, longer in winter, and the quality of greens in the supermarket goes from bad to worse. Not to mention paying through the nose for something that goes to rot the day after purchase if not before. But contamination risk is also high on my list for growing our own - Mom has immune system issues, foodborne illness could be fatal.
It's a good thing growing a few greens in the winter is easy to do!
I potted up a few kale and chard from my garden to tide us over until I get some new stuff started. Green onions too.

[Labradors2]

I was going to say the same thing Bower, that people in the north are more dependent on veggies from much further afield.

I harvest my Swiss Chard and place it in grocery bags in the freezer to be added to doggy dinners. It looks so good that I wonder how it would taste for US (without blanching). The dogs don't complain.......

Linda

[BigVanVader]

I follow several big time market growers in Canada, Jean-Martin Fortier (in Saint-Armand, Quebec) , Curtis Stone (Kelowna BC) and Brendan Grant of Sleepy G farm (northwest Ontario) and there are many others that are smaller. I'd try looking and asking around. A lot of exciting stuff going on in Canadian ag scene.

[Worth1]

I looked up listeria just now, new recalls abound.

[bower]

Originally Posted by Labradors2

I was going to say the same thing Bower, that people in the north are more dependent on veggies from much further afield.

I harvest my Swiss Chard and place it in grocery bags in the freezer to be added to doggy dinners. It looks so good that I wonder how it would taste for US (without blanching). The dogs don't complain.......

Linda

That is sweet of you to make sure the dogs get their veggies.
One thing I've noticed about green vegs grown indoors vs outside, they tend to be much more sweet and tender. Things tend to get tough or bitter if it's too hot, dry, cold, windy etc etc The chard I overwintered in the greenhouse last year was fabulous for eating raw... but all the chard I had outside this summer had to be well cooked to choke it down. Ditto for celery the year before. So I'm really looking forward to my own primo winter produce.
You do need an unheated space for the best greens indoors. But this is good, it keeps them out of the living room.

[bower]

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

I follow several big time market growers in Canada, Jean-Martin Fortier (in Saint-Armand, Quebec) , Curtis Stone (Kelowna BC) and Brendan Grant of Sleepy G farm (northwest Ontario) and there are many others that are smaller. I'd try looking and asking around. A lot of exciting stuff going on in Canadian ag scene.

Amazingly our provincial government is making moves and financial commitments to grow the ag industry here. We are at a shocking 10 or 20 percent (forget which) locally produced food and the rest is imported. They seem to have finally twigged that this really is not good for people's health, so they need to deal with it to cut down on health care spending.

[BigVanVader]

Well with that big of a market for local produce the gap will likely be filled fairly rapidly. Ofc if the gov is involved it will probably be a$$ backwards. My wife & I are actually considering a move to Canada. I'm interested in your thoughts on the health care system? Most people here seem to think Canadians die waiting for treatment or some other scare story of why universal healthcare is bad. Probably b/c they are republicans.

personal message sent re Canadian healthcare

[carolyn137]

I do wish that more had been said about Listerosis in addition to just vegetables.

In the following link under routes of infection you'll see that dairy products and cheeses come way before vegetables.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Listeria_monocytogenes

Perhaps some of you remember about the huge problem concerning importation of French Cheese to the USA and elsewhere.

There were several sites online where you could buy such cheeses and this was the place where I used to buy many different kinds and still would do so.

https://www.google.com/search?q=arti...&bih=815&dpr=1

Carolyn

Online advice about avoiding listeria recommends washing fruits and vegetables in running water, not just swishing them in a dishpan of water.

I don't know whether that applies to all vegetables, including ones grown in our gardens.