Deli meats are particularly at risk for listeria contamination due to shared processing equipment and the fact that listeria can grow in cold temperatures. While refrigeration typically slows bacterial growth, it does not affect listeria. This increases the risk for all deli items, including cheeses and salads. With approximately 20% of listeria infections proven fatal, precautions are advised, especially for high-risk groups. Heating deli products is recommended to eliminate bacteria and improve safety, even though it is not a mandatory step.
Listeria is largely immune to refrigeration, but it is sensitive to heat. Heating up the products you get at the deli can kill the potential bacteria.
Deli meats, in particular, are making headlines for being highly susceptible to listeria contamination due to the way they are processed, stored, and eaten.
With the CDC reporting that around 20% of listeria infections end up being fatal, concerns about listeria outbreaks are certainly justified.
Even small amounts of listeria can result in massive outbreaks, leading to recalls of millions of pounds of meat products across the country.
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