NZ Food Safety warns about listeriosis risks

NZFS deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle says that while listeriosis is rare in New Zealand, vulnerable people die from the preventable disease every year, "so we want to share some practical steps people can take at home to avoid getting sick".

Listeriosis is caused by eating or drinking food that has high levels of Listeria, a bacterium that is widespread in the environment. Listeria is invisible, has no odour and, unlike most bacteria, can continue to grow when food is refrigerated.

According to the most recent annual report concerning foodborne disease in New Zealand, there was a single death from listeria in 2024, down from 6 in 2022 and 7 in 2023.

“But even one death is one too many, so that’s why we are continuing our efforts to get those most at risk – pregnant women and older people – to better understand the dangers of listeriosis and what to do to decrease them," Arbuckle says.

Infections in healthy adults are unlikely to be severe, but listeriosis during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, premature labour, stillbirth, or disease in the newborn baby.

As you age - and particularly over 65 - your immune system gets weaker. This means foods you safely ate in the past may no longer be safe for you to eat.

“Some people may not be aware of this. So, we’re highlighting higher-risk foods while sharing some food-safety advice on how to make them safe to eat,” Arbuckle says.

Higher-risk foods include ready-to-eat meat products (e.g. deli meats and pâtés), smoked seafood, soft cheeses (e.g. brie, camembert), unpasteurised dairy products (e.g. raw milk), leafy greens and bagged salad (e.g. mesclun, spinach).

To lower the risk of contracting listeriosis, you can:

• choose safer foods;
• heat food to piping hot (over 75°C) before eating
• when eating raw fruit and vegetables, wash and dry them thoroughly first
• only eat food that was recently prepared
• refrigerate leftovers quickly and avoid eating leftovers that won't be reheated
• wash and dry your hands thoroughly and follow good food hygiene practices.

“NZFS requires food businesses to manage Listeria in the processing environment and to have strict measures in place to eliminate its presence in products,” says Arbuckle.

“If something goes wrong, we support food businesses with their consumer-level food recalls. In 2024, there were four consumer recalls due to the possible presence of Listeria," he adds.

He also suggests signing up to NZFS's food recall alerts at https://www.mpi.govt.nz/news/subscribe-to-mpi#subscribe-food-recalls

“Also look out for our current awareness campaign so you can share it with people who may not know the life-threatening risks. Let’s work together to not lose another person to listeriosis.”