Food for Thought: Listeria

Listeria has made headlines for contaminating fresh produce being sold at big-name stores like Trader Joe's and Wal-Mart. Listeria is a bacteria found in soil and water. It can sometimes contaminate

News 12 Staff

Aug 18, 2014, 1:56 AM

Updated 3,699 days ago

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Listeria has made headlines for contaminating fresh produce being sold at big-name stores like Trader Joe's and Wal-Mart.
Listeria is a bacteria found in soil and water. It can sometimes contaminate plants that grow in the ground.
Those who consume listeria show symptoms similar to food poisoning including fever, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting.
Founder of Farmbox Direct Ashley Tyrner says consumers should try to avoid the bacteria by shopping as local as possible. She also recommends buying USDA-certified organic products.
Tyrner says consumers should clean fruits and vegetables before eating them. Fill a sink with cold water and adding two to three tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Let the produce sit in the mixture for a half-hour.
Farmbox Direct offers weekly deliveries of fresh produce. Each farm box includes about 12-14 different items.