Could I have given her listeria?

[RunnerBeanz]

New to mumsnet and have no kids so apologies if this is the wrong place to post but, I had a pregnant friend over to my garden for lunch today, and I served her halloumi and avocado on toast.

She is adamant that I have given her listeria, because the avocado had black/ brown spots and lines in it (she found out because my husband came out to join us and cut his avocado outside, and it was also like this). We've always still eaten our avocadoes like this and just cut off anything really brown - we just assumed they were 'over-ripe' / 'bruised', equivalent to bananas, as we thought they still tasted okay. But apparently this is a sign of rot/ mould and means that the avocado is much more likely to be infected by listeria?

She'd already eaten her lunch but immediately drove off home and has sent me a number of angry messages since, that I've found really upsetting. She's since been crying to one of our other friends. Obviously I didn't intend to cause her any harm and would feel terrible if I really have increased hers and baby's risk.

Is she being hormonal or is there actually a risk here? I've googled and not really found anything (apart from listeria sometimes being present on the skin - but I washed it first!) so I'm turning to those of you who are also pregnant to help me out!

@RunnerBeanz hmm I never would have thought slightly over ripe avocados could cause listeria?! I’m someone who is very cautious with what I eat in pregnancy and this never would have crossed my mind x

She sounds a bit bonkers tbh 🤷🏻‍♀️

[quote MintGreenLife]@RunnerBeanz hmm I never would have thought slightly over ripe avocados could cause listeria?! I’m someone who is very cautious with what I eat in pregnancy and this never would have crossed my mind x[/quote]
That's a relief to hear thank you, though I think I've just assumed they're over-ripe... it might be that they are indeed rotten - now I'm wondering if I should have been throwing them away all along!

I think she’s being an arse. There is no need at all to send you repeated angry messages. In fact, in any scenario there’s no need to send repeated messages; 1 will get the point across.

I’m pregnant and eat over ripe avocados all the time! There is a close to zero chance she would have got listeria from a bloody avocado, particularly if you washed the outside first, she sounds mental.

I think she has over reacted. But that doesn’t help you. You washed the skin, there has been less than 1% of avocados found to have listeria in the flesh, there was a recall in 2019 but nothing since. If she was that concerned she shouldn’t have eaten the avocado full stop. The over ripeness will have made no difference unless the skin was damaged and even then it is extremely unlikely

Tell her to knock off the nastiness, to speak to her midwife if she's worried and then you'll wait for an apology.

I understand some m2b go off the deep end re diet but the nastiness is uncalled for.

Tell her to google how many cases of listeria there are a year. The risk of contracting it is vanishingly rare. Just tell her to get a bloody grip

I always eat my avocados when they are over ripe ! I even just googled this as I was super cautious in my pregnancy and nothing came up about avocados

She sounds nuts and you sound like a lovely friend cooking her lunch.

Hopefully she calms down all

She sounds like her mental health is suffering, I’d suggest she speaks to her midwife for some help

I don't like avocados so not much help but I think listeria is pretty much only ever on the skin? And they sound like they were just maybe a little over ripe.
If she was so worried why did she eat it all first though?

She'll be one of those that posts on here asking if something the NHS guidance clearly says is safe, is actually safe.

Don't worry about making her ill, it's incredibly unlikely from an avocado and even more so that listeria in particular would be the issue. You've probably had a lucky escape by finding out what an arse this person is going be throughout pregnancy (and probably beyond) now, although not very nice for you to find out this way.

@RunnerBeanz Like you if an avocado has black/brown bits I just cut them off. Are you sure it's the avocado she's panicking about? The halloumi would make more sense for her to worry about, as unpasteurised cheese can cause listeria, but halloumi is fine and on NHS list of cheeses you CAN eat x

Sounds like first time pregnancy batshittery to me. Unfortunately many of us suffer with it at some point or another. See also 'precious first born' and 'lack of sleep' for future batshittery.

OP you have done nothing wrong and it is up to your friend to reign herself in and recognise she is overreacting. I guess it will depend on her normal levels to see if she does just that. For now I would ignore further messages. You have apologised and that will do. Don't continue feeding the situation by responding any further.

Thanks everyone... I don't think I can add a picture (because I'm new to mumsnet maybe?) but there's a reddit thread called "dark rooty lines in an avocado" where the picture looks fairly similar! Some of my googling agreed with my previous assumption that this was over-ripeness, and some of it told me it was rot!

Glad people don't think there's a risk but now wondering how to get through the next 25 weeks of her pregnancy and still be friends by the end!

How can it take a few hours from eating a contaminated food to being diagnosed with listeria?
You haven't given her listeria OP. There is a list of foods for pregnant women to avoid on the NHS website, it's really straightforward (and guidance, not the law)

Listeria is very rare so I doubt you’ve given it to her. I personally wouldn’t expect anyone to know what pregnant women can and can’t eat - other than the obvious (eg alcohol), so it was really on her to check not you. I probably wouldn’t eat an avacado that had brown spots. I would imagine if the avacado was still firm it wouldn’t have been off? They usually get those little spots of they’re exposed to the air for too long just like when an apple goes brown after you bite into it and leave it for a little bit x

I would describe myself as hyper vigilant re food and risks when it comes to pregnancy.
I don't think there is any risk at all. The biggest risk in my view is from introducing bacteria to the flesh by not washing the skin before cutting. You washed the skin! I'm sure many people don't.
I've eaten loads of avocados with black bits in them (38 weeks pg) don't think it means they are rotten. Taste and smell are hyper raised in pregnancy to prevent you from eating off food. If it was rotten I doubt she'd have been able to eat it. And I doubt you would have served it!
As others have said if she was worried she shouldn't have eaten them. I imagine if she rang her midiwfe to discuss her concerns they'd tell her she is being overly anxious and there is no risk.
Sorry you're being harrassed over this. I think your friend may have an anxiety issue. Common in pregnancy but no excuse to be mean to others.

Has she actually got any symptoms of listeria? (I’m assuming not if she’s texting!) I really wouldn’t be apologetic about this, she’s being horrible!

I didn't actually fully cut the black/ brown spotty bits off - I served them up, so in my opinion she could have looked at it and made a decision before tucking in, but didn't fully twig until she'd eaten hers and seen my husband cut his avocado open. It was paler brown mushy bits I cut off, if that makes any sense! Avocadoes are expensive to waste!

The halloumi was pasteurised, I checked and showed her the packet!

Offer to call an ambulance

I didn't even know you are supposed to wash an avocado or that they can potentially have listeria. It must be very rare.

I'm sure she will be absolutely fine. It sounds like she is rather highly strung right now. Hopefully when it becomes apparent that she is in fact perfectly ok she will calm down. I'd avoid her for a little while to be honest. You've done nothing wrong and served up, what sounds like, a very nice lunch.

Is she even ill? Let alone with listeria symptoms 🤷🏼‍♀️

Listeria is only present in meats, soft cheese, smoked fish, raw milk and raw sprouts. Scientific fact.

The incubation period is days to weeks, another scientific fact.

She is a dickhead.

@lindy2 I think it is rare. I guess they give guidance to wash all fruit and veg to be on the safe side. Pretty sure I've never had listeria before I was pregnant and I know I've never had toxoplasmosis, and I never really took much care in washing fruit or veg unless they were visibly mucky.