Help: having a listeria freak out

[cambodia]

I'm 38 weeks and today I had a salad from Waitrose. It was reduced but the expiry date was today. When I started eating, I noticed the lettuce was a bit limp so I left it. I had a couple of tomatoes, that's all and a strip of pepper.

Now I'm scared that maybe it carried listeria. Am I nuts?

You're nuts! Listeria is found in dairy products, thats why no mould ripened cheese, whippy ice cream etc. Limp lettuce will be fine.

I thought listeria was associated with cheeses and nothing to do with manky lettuce.

I think it must be the hormones making you paranoid

In a word, yes! But I don't blame you. There's so much hysterical press over listeria in pregnancy.

The way I look at it is that at 29 years old I've had food poisoning twice, once from some halloumi from a cafe in a sandwich and once from some fried fish. Both happened more than 10 years ago, neither would have been avoided by the government advice about foods to avoid.

You don't have listeria, even if you did you can't change it now and worrying won't help. I've just found the following, it doesn't even mention salad:

"Listeria (lis-ter'e'ah) is a bacteria that causes listeriosis. Listeria are most often found in foods such as raw milk, soft cheeses (especially if made with raw milk), raw meats, raw and smoked fish, raw sprouts, and some ready-to-eat foods including hot dogs, deli meats, lunch meats, refrigerated smoked fish and seafood."

I hope that helps

Thanks all. I was sure bagged salad had some risks. Usually I wash all salad, bagged or otherwise, but I was on the run today.

Hi just a word of caustion...no limp lettuce wont give you listera BUT all salad and earth based or muddy produce can.. although its the dirt thats the problem.. i didnt know that unil ds had hydrocephalus diagnosed at 28 weeks and they frantically tested me for everything. My consultant told me that you should avoid salad unless you know it has been washed well enough.. in my current pregnancy that means washed at my house! by me or someone i know I appreciate that other people are less wary but once bitten twice shy!Also salad that hasnt been washed well enough can carry toxoplasmosis...

Yes, it's possible. But that wouldn't have anything to do with the limpness of the salad or it's being close to expiry date.

There's lots of things that might have been contaminated with listeria. It's very rare, though, so you have no reason to panic.

Also, washig the lettuce at home will not necessarily remove the bacteria- unless you'll scrub it with a brush and bleach.

So, really, just relax.

I have literally just been reading this:
www.guardian.co.uk/society/2007/may/29/health.medicineandhealth

I was pretty compliant to "the rules" with both my pregnancies but I have to confess I did eat bagged salad. Didn't even know it was an issue during my first pregnancy.

Risks v minimal as others have said. And remember, you will know if you have contracted listeriosis. It's not silently doing something to you "behind the scenes"

Thanks all. Appreciate your response