What is listeria? And how to tell if you need to throw out your rockmelon
Australians have been urged to throw out rockmelon after a listeria outbreak that has left two people in NSW dead.
Ten elderly people across Australia were diagnosed with the infection after consuming rockmelon and becoming ill between January 17 and February 9, the NSW Food Authority said in a statement on Wednesday.
The Australian Melon Association has urged people to remove or return any rockmelons purchased before Wednesday.
"Any current rockmelon bought before today, discard or take it back to the shop," industry development manager Dianne Fullelove said.
"Fruit on the shelf now is from farms that are not implicated."
Listeriosis is a rare illness caused by eating food contaminated with the Listeria bacteria, which is common in some raw foods.
Although the disease is rare, infections may cause blood poisoning and meningitis, according to NSW Health.
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"Eating foods that contain listeria bacteria does not cause illness in most people, but in higher risk groups it can result in severe illness and even death so it's vitally important these people take extra care at all times," NSW Health's communicable diseases director Dr Vicky Sheppeard said last week.
The outbreak has been linked to a rockmelon grower in NSW with the company voluntarily ceasing production after being notified of the contamination.
Australian Melon Association industry development manager Dianne Fullelove said the organisation would meet with supermarket operators on Thursday to discuss getting the fruit back on the shelves.
She said the grower was devastated.
"No one wants to grow fruit that makes someone sick. He has a very good food-safety system in place but there has been a problem. He's bending over backwards to work out where that problem is," she told ABC radio on Thursday.
Listeria starts with flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, muscle aches, nausea and sometimes diarrhoea but the symptoms can take a few days or weeks to appear after eating contaminated produce.
The infection is particularly dangerous to the elderly, pregnant women and people who have underlying health conditions such as cancer, diabetes, heart and kidney disease.
Vulnerable people should avoid pre-cut melons such as rockmelon or watermelon.
Listeria can also be prevented by avoiding foods such as pre-packed cold salads, pre-cooked cold chicken, raw seafood, unpasteurised milk or soft cheeses.
People at risk should consult their doctor as soon as possible if symptoms appear.
