Fourteen tons of irregular foodstuffs, for a commercial value of approximately 327,000 euros and 23 production and commercial enterprises, whose economic value amounts to over 7 million euros, subject to closure or suspension. This is the result of the control campaign throughout Italy by the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Health and the Ministry of Health, following cases of Listeria intoxication connected with the consumption of raw or reduced cooking foods (such as frankfurters), aimed at to verify the correct management in terms of safety and hygiene of the companies producing food of animal origin.
Listeria, from cooking food to hygiene, the vademecum to protect yourself from the bacterium
In particular, 1,095 food processing and transformation companies most exposed to contamination by Listeria bacteria (such as würstel, sausages with short maturation and similar products), dairy products with limited maturation, as well as gastronomy with fresh fillings were inspected (starting from sandwiches and sandwiches), packaged in a controlled atmosphere for supply to the large-scale retail trade and vending machines management companies.
Irregularities were ascertained in 335 structures (equal to approximately 30% of the audited objectives): 310 sector operators reported to the judicial and health authorities, 541 criminal and administrative violations contested, for a value of over 365 thousand euros. Among the criticalities found was the use of raw materials that have expired validity and are in a bad state of conservation and, with particular frequency, the failure to apply the preventive procedures of self-control and traceability of food, essential elements for identifying and containing possible cases of intoxication caused by the consumption of harmful or dangerous foods.