Recall initiated Infectious bacteria in sausages and meat products possible

Manufacturer of sausage and meat products must recall several hundred tons of meat
Again and again there are cases in which our food is contaminated during production, storage or transport with bacteria. Now it became known that sausage and meat products contaminated by so-called Listeria of the Geretsrieder Großmetzgerei Sieber should be removed from the market as part of a recall campaign.

Investigations have now been carried out in samples of Listeria in ham and sausage from the Geretsrieder Großmetzgerei Sieber. This was confirmed by the competent district administrator Josef Niedermeier in an interview with the Bavarian Radio (BR). The company responded with a recall of the loaded products.

There are always cases where our foods are contaminated with bacteria. Now there was a big recall for sausages and meat products from the manufacturer Sieber from Geretsriede. The affected products are contaminated with listeria. (Image: Alexander Raths / fotolia.com)

Listeria disease harmless to healthy people
Listeria are rod-shaped, Gram-positive, non-endospore-forming, facultative anaerobic bacteria of the genus Listeria. Listeria can also multiply at low temperatures, for example in the refrigerator, experts explain. By boiling, frying, sterilizing and pasteurizing, however, the bacteria are killed. In healthy people, infection by Listeria is usually harmless. The symptoms that occur are often flu-like. In case of illness, fever and muscle pain, vomiting and diarrhea usually occur.

Older people, infants and pregnant women are particularly threatened by Listeria
However, there are also people who are particularly threatened by a disease. For risk groups, such as elderly or immunocompromised persons as well as infants and pregnant women, an infection can have dangerous consequences. An early treatment is made more difficult because the symptoms often occur only up to eight weeks after consumption, explains the district administrator Josef Niedermaier.

Detected Listeria were below the permissible limit
Samples at the meat factory Sieber have shown that although Listeria were detected there, these were below the permissible limit, stressed the district administrator Josef Niedermaier in his interview with the Bavarian Radio. Despite the statement, the district administration still ordered on Friday evening, a verbal ban on sales of meat and sausage products from the affected company. The same night, the management of the company received the ban in writing, adds the Niedermaier.

District Administrator contradicts statements about Listeria cases in 2012
The district administrator Niedermaier, however, contradicted various reports, which had claimed that in 2012 an incident with Listeria in the butcher shop had occurred. These statements are fundamentally wrong and do not correspond to the truth. The first case of contamination of food by Listeria was found at the Geretsrieder operation Sieber at Easter 2016, explained the district administrator. The company then, in close collaboration with the responsible veterinary office, immediately tried to identify the possible causes of the contamination. After that, possible sources were switched off. However, recent test results have led the Office to actually impose a ban on sales, says the expert.

Several hundred tons of meat in Germany, Austria and Switzerland are part of the recall
The recall of the food concerns several 100 tons of meat, explains Landrat Niedermaier. The products had previously been delivered to the retail trade, but also to some cafeterias and canteen kitchens throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The management of the butcher Sieber cooperative responded to the trade ban and immediately took all necessary measures, adds the district administrator.

There seem to be serious problems in food production
However, some consumer protection experts see this incident as an indication that more serious food production problems are occurring at the butcher's shop. The consumer protection expert of the SPD, Florian von Brunn, said in an interview with Bayerischer Rundfunk: "A large number of Listeria infections investigated by the Robert Koch Institute may have been caused by Sieber products." According to a press release from the Ministry of Consumer Protection The recognized Robert Koch Institute (RKI) a connection between listeriosis diseases and the product "Original Bavarian Wammerl". This would most likely be involved in a so-called "listeriosis outbreak" since 2012, say the experts. (As)