By Lydia Zuraw
Kaiser Health News and NPR
Frozen vegetables are a staple in many diets, so a huge recall of them has us peering at the packages in our freezers.
On Tuesday evening, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced an outbreak of the Listeria monocytogenes bacteria and frozen vegetables and fruits are believed to be the cause.
More than 350 products like green beans, broccoli, peas and blueberries sold under 42 brands at U.S. and Canadian grocers including Safeway, Costco and Trader Joe’s have now been recalled.
Here are the four things to know about listeria and this massive recall:
Listeria is deadly.
Although much less common than other foodborne pathogens like salmonella or E. coli, listeria is the most lethal. Most healthy immune systems can keep an infection at bay, but if the bug makes it into the bloodstream, it causes listeriosis and kills one in five victims. Continue reading