Cadbury Chocolate Recalled In UK Over Fear Of Contamination With Listeria Virus; All Details Inside

A few days ago, thousands of Cadbury dessert products were recalled from supermarkets in the United Kingdom over the fear of them being contaminated with the Listeria virus.

According to Sky News, a food company called Müller clarified the air saying that it was a precautionary action taken due to concerns about Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

The list of affected chocolate desserts included Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons 75g, Cadbury Daim 75g, Cadbury Flake 75g, Cadbury Heroes 75g, Cadbury Dairy Milk Chunks 75g and Cadbury Crunchie 75g.

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) said Müller was recalling it in fear of contamination of the desserts with the food-borne virus.

What Is Listeria Virus?

The United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention defines it as the virus that enters the human body via infected food. It causes Listeriosis and has been found to affect body parts like joints, bones, chest and abdomen.

Listeria virus is often found in soil, water and intestines. It has the capability to spread via raw food items, including raw meat, raw vegetables and unpasteurised dairy products.

However, according to the World Health Organization, the virus does not affect animals like it can affect humans. Animals do not show any symptoms of being affected by it.

The concerning part about the Listeria virus is that it can grow at freezing temperatures as well, which is not the case with many other bacteria. It can tolerate both salty and acidic conditions. In many documented cases, the virus has been found to multiply and persist in food-processing plants for about 10 years.

The US Food and Drug Administration says that the virus can survive for years in a factory environment. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1,600 people get infected with the virus every year. The FDA reported that the rate of hospitalisation is 94%.

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How Can People Get Affected With The Virus?

The FDA lists food items that can be contaminated with the virus. It includes:

• Raw vegetables
• Raw meat
• Melons
• Processed meat
• Frozen pates
• Soft cheese is usually made from unpasteurised milk
• Ready-to-eat raw and smoked seafood
• Unpasteurised dairy products
• Stored salads, including fresh fruit salad and coleslaw salads

How Does Listeria Virus Affect Pregnant Women & Newborns?

According to the FDA, pregnant women are 18 times more vulnerable to being affected by the Listeria virus. It is, however, difficult to diagnose the virus among expecting women. The most commonly observed symptom is fever only, and maybe a few others resembling flu.

They mostly don’t show diarrhoea or vomiting. In comparison to healthy people, the virus can survive among pregnant women for a longer time. While the infection does not affect an expecting or a new mother much, it can be severe among newborns and foetuses.

The virus can affect a woman at any time during her pregnancy and has been found to be associated with stillbirth, miscarriage, life-threatening infection and premature birth. Listeriosis is also one of the most common causes of meningitis in babies.

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