Canned Fruit...Pregnant... Listeria?!?

Question

I'm 17 weeks pregnant & I was wondering do I have to worry about contamination or listeria with canned fruit such as pears... Are they safe to eat?

Also the fruit cups of madarin oranges? Same thing?

Answer 1

Nah, you don't have to worry.

The canning process has to cook the food quickly, which kills any bacteria.

If you're still worried, ask your doctor. They will tell you everything you need to know.

Answer 2

I don't think listeria is an issue with canned fruit.

"The bacterium Listeria monocytogenes can be found nearly everywhere--soil, dust, sewage, and even water. It's tough too. It can thrive in hot, salty or acidic environments that are deadly to many other bacterial strains.

Even cold temperatures don't stop listeria, which can cause a potentially life-threatening disease called listeriosis. The bacterium continues to multiply-albeit more slowly-until temperatures reach zero degrees Fahrenheit. Most other foodborne bacteria stop growing at 40 F.

Researchers have known since the early 1900s that listeria infects animals, including birds and fish. The bacterium was recognized as a human pathogen in 1929. However, scientists didn't know that listeria could be spread through food as well as by animal contact until the early 1980s.

Listeriosis causes an estimated 2,500 serious illnesses and 500 deaths in the United States each year. Foodborne illness caused by listeria in pregnant women can result in miscarriage, fetal death, and severe illness or death of a newborn infant. Others at risk for severe illness or death are older adults and those with weakened immune systems.

Listeria monocytogenes often may pass through the digestive systems of healthy people, causing only mild, flu-like symptoms or without causing any symptoms at all.

The FDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service have released a draft risk assessment of the potential risks of listeriosis from eating certain ready-to-eat foods and an action plan designed to reduce the risk of foodborne illness caused by Listeria monocytogenes.

The government advises that consumers can reduce their risk of listeriosis by:

1.  Using perishable items that are precooked or ready-to-eat as soon as possible

2.  Cleaning refrigerators regularly

3.  Using a refrigerator thermometer to ensure that temperatures remain at 40 F or lower

The FDA and USDA say that pregnant women, older people, and those with weakened immune systems should take the following steps to avoid listeriosis:

1.  Do not eat hot dogs or luncheon meats unless they are reheated until steaming hot.

2.  Do not eat soft cheeses such as feta, brie or Camembert, blue-veined cheeses or Mexican-style cheeses such as queso blanco fresco. Hard cheeses, semi-soft cheeses such as mozzarella, pasteurized processed cheeses, cream cheese, and cottage cheese may be eaten.

3.  Do not eat refrigerated patés or meat spreads. Canned or shelf-stable patés and meat spreads may be eaten.

4.  Do not eat refrigerated smoked seafood, unless it is part of a cooked dish, such as a casserole. Refrigerated smoked seafood--such as salmon, trout, whitefish, cod, tuna or mackerel--most often is labeled as "nova-style," "lox," "kippered," "smoked," or "jerky." The products are found in the refrigerator section or sold at deli counters of grocery stores or delicatessens. Canned or shelf-stable smoked seafood may be eaten.

5.  Do not drink raw (unpasteurized) milk or eat foods that contain raw milk. "