The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been saying for 11 years that people over 50 should heat up all deli meats to at least 165 degrees to avoid listeria. Do you know anyone, at any age, that follows that rule? Maybe we should.
Have you ever kept an open package of deli meat for longer than five days in the fridge. Totally another violation. Who knew?
Listeria was listed among the most common food-borne illnesses in a recent study. And doctors say one in five people who gets listeria dies. And listeria is particularly dangerous because it continues to live and grow even while refrigerated.
Pregnant women are told they should avoid all deli meat while pregnant because 30 percent of pregnant women who gets listeria has a miscarriage. Serious stuff.
The USA Today article on the CDC guidelines adds that if you get sandwich meats from a deli, you shouldn't eat anything that's been sitting out for longer than four days.
The CDC uses the words "steaming hot" to describe food heated to 165 degrees. It might be worth taking a little extra time to heat the deli meat the next time you make that turkey club.
Photo by: mountainpines
