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Listeria - threat to unborn and newly born babies
15 Oct 2007
A University of Wollongong study just published shows many NSW pregnant women may be putting their unborn child at risk by eating the wrong foods, Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald said today.
Minister Macdonald said the research had prompted the Iemma Government to again remind mums-to-be that a comprehensive multi-lingual pregnancy and food information kit is just a mouse click away.
“In a survey of 586 women in 2006 published this month*, researchers from the University of Wollongong found that over half received no information on what foods to avoid during pregnancy to prevent contracting listeriosis,” the Minister said.
“Listeria is a bacteria which can lead to infection of a newborn, miscarriage and stillbirth. NSW Health data shows that in the last year there have been one case of neonatal death and one foetal death caused by listeriosis.”
Minister Macdonald said common foods to avoid include:
- soft and semi-soft cheeses
- cold pressed meats
- cold cooked chicken
- pre-prepared vegetables and salads
- pre-cut fruit
- pate
- soft-serve ice-cream
- raw seafood.
Minister Macdonald said the Wollongong University results are consistent with the NSW Food Authority's own research in early 2007 that found that up to 50 percent of pregnant women in NSW did not fully appreciate the serious risks associated with Listeria during pregnancy.
In May, the Iemma Government launched an internet 'pregnancy portal' on food safety.
Minister Macdonald said the portal on the NSW Food Authority’s website featured information on listeria and a range of other food safety issues and aimed to provide accurate and reliable information while dispelling common food safety myths.
To date, the pregnancy information portal has had over 58,000 hits.
Minister Macdonald said the Iemma Government through the NSW Food Authority also distributed over 20,000 information brochures via GPs, dieticians, midwives and antenatal clinics, 25,000 fridge magnets and 450,000 wallet cards advising which fish are good to eat because of their lower mercury levels.
Minister Macdonald said he was concerned that not all pregnant women and women planning pregnancy fully appreciated the serious risks associated with Listeria.
“This is still disturbing and I urge all women in NSW who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy to visit the Food Authority’s website to get all the scientifically accurate food safety advice they need,” he said.
Pregnant women and health professionals can find the pregnancy portal at www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/pregnancy. They can also telephone the Food Authority's Helpline on 1300 552 406 for printed copies of the brochure in 12 languages.
* Source: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health (2007 vol. 31 no. 5), “Listeria education in pregnancy: lost opportunity for health professionals”, D. Bondarianzadeh, H. Yeatman & D. Condon-Paoloni.
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