UK listeria advisory: chill and kill

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Listeriosis warning: policy is no protection

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Health agencies in the UK, concerned about the rapidly increasing rates of listeriosis, have planned a major food hygiene awareness campaign to try and contain the deadly food-borne disease.

Blaming poor handling of processed 'ready-to-eat foods' once they are purchased, the UK Food Standards Agency advises consumers to keep their fridge temperature at below five degrees C, pay careful attention to use-by dates, and eat foods such as pre-packed sandwiches, salads, cooked sliced meats, smoked salmon, soft cheeses and pâtés within two days once the packaging is opened.

As listeriosis is extremely dangerous for people with reduced immunity -- "chiefly the elderly, pregnant women, and those suffering from illness" -- health authorities anticipate that preventing and containing the disease will be of increasing concern as the UK population ages.

The prevalence of the disease among the elderly is likely to become an increasing concern for health experts as the UK population ages. The ACMSF also paid particular attention to listeria infection associated with sandwiches purchased from or provided in hospitals.