Senator Grant Tambling
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Aged Care
Friday, 22 January 1999
Listeria -- Threat to unborn and newly born babies
Pregnant women need to know about the dangers of the foodborne bacteria Listeria and the steps they can take to prevent infection of their unborn or newly born baby.
These are some of the important health messages in the new brochure,
Listeria and Pregnancy, launched today at Canberra's John James Memorial Hospital by Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Aged Care, Senator the Hon Grant Tambling.
'First and foremost, it's vital that as many pregnant women as possible
know about the Listeria bacteria, and how through simple food safety practices, they can protect the life and health of their unborn or newly born baby.
'Listeria rarely causes illness in healthy people but it can seriously affect the lives of the elderly or people with poor immune systems, and it can cause women to have miscarriages or stillbirths.
'At best, Listeria infection can make a newborn baby very ill,' Senator Tambling said.
'Listeria isn't a new bacteria but it's only over the last ten years that it's been widely recognised that Listeria is transmitted through food which is contaminated.
'Listeria are destroyed by cooking but unlike other bacteria they will grow in food that's refrigerated,' Senator Tambling said. 'This being the case, pregnant women should try as much as possible to eat food that is freshly prepared or has just been cooked, and it's critical that hot food is served steaming hot.
'To be on the safe side, pregnant women should also avoid certain chilled ready-to-eat foods ranging from soft cheeses to raw or smoked seafood, salad bar fare and cold meats,' he said.
The brochure has an easy-to-follow guide which outlines categories of food that are safe to eat during pregnancy. Food safety tips such as not letting cooked foods cool down on the kitchen bench and keeping raw meat covered and separate from cooked and ready-to-eat food are also covered in the brochure.
'I urge all pregnant women to get a copy of this brochure and keep it on their fridge or somewhere where they can easily refer to it,' Senator Tambling said.
'While the incidence of Listeria infections in Australia is relatively low compared to other widespread foodborne illnesses such as Salmonella and Campylobacter, Listeria cannot be ignored because of the significant risk it poses to mothers and their babies.
'The Listeria bacteria can be difficult to diagnose during pregnancy, so the best advice for women is to take preventative action and think food safety at all times.'
'Above all, it's really important that women make sure they have a healthy and well balanced diet during pregnancy,' Senator Tambling said.
Senator Tambling said the Listeria and Pregnancy brochure was developed in cooperation with State and Territory Health Departments as part of ongoing efforts to raise community awareness about food safety.
New, national food safety standards are currently being developed by ANZFA. These are part of the Government's strategy to reduce foodborne illness. The standards will be considered by State and Territory Health Ministers in the middle of this year.
The brochure is available free of charge from the Food Safety Area in State and Territory Health Departments. on ANZFA’s Internet Site www.foodstandards.gov.au or by contacting ANZFA on (02) 6271 2241.