The Alarming Rise of Food Contamination

Reading Time: 8 minutes

Venturing further into the labyrinth of food safety failures, to a topic that’s personal for my family and me, we uncover yet another layer of food-borne danger: Listeria monocytogenes. This resilient bacterium thrives in cold environments and poses grave risks to vulnerable populations. This pathogen, capable of causing listeriosis, a severe infection marked by fever, muscle aches, confusion, and, in extreme cases, death, has triggered numerous recalls, including one involving prepackaged ham sold at Costco.

In October 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert for Kirkland Signature ready-to-eat ham products that may be contaminated with Listeria. Although no illnesses were reported at the time, the alert highlighted the ongoing vulnerabilities in meat processing and distribution.

However, here’s why no illnesses were reported at the time. Patients reporting Listeria exposure were gaslit.

After eating one bite of the COSCO ham, I immediately fell sick. My fiancé, Matthew, fell sick after three bites.

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We both reported our symptoms to our primary care doctors, presented a printed copy of the recall statement, and a photo of the ham’s packaging we had eaten, as indisputable confirmation of our exposure.

And we were gaslit by both of our doctors.

What to do when the food contamination protection system fails

Over two years, I continued having chronic symptoms of listeria, presented my evidence to two specialists, and again, I was gaslit.

“Listeria doesn’t happen in the U.S., that’s a developing world problem.”

The worst comment came from a nurse practitioner at Matthew’s appointment. He was so debilitated that I had to drive him to the doctor. With our proof of contamination in hand, the practitioner refused to look at it and said.

“Listeria doesn’t happen in the U.S.; that’s a developing world problem. What are you, some kind of conspiracy theorist?”

Again, he didn’t receive treatment.

It wasn’t until we moved and found a country doctor who agreed that I needed treatment for Listeria, even two years after the exposure.

What the CDC says about listeria food contamination

According to the CDC, Listeria infection (listeriosis) can cause two main forms: intestinal illness (non-invasive and milder) and invasive illness (more severe, when the bacteria spread beyond the intestines). The timing of symptoms, their initial presentation, and potential long-term effects vary by form and individual risk factors (e.g., pregnancy, age 65+, weakened immune system).

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Listeria incubation period and symptom onset after exposure

Intestinal illness (gastroenteritis-like): Symptoms usually start within 24 hours after eating contaminated food.
Invasive illness: Symptoms usually start within 2 weeks of exposure. Occasionally, there is a delay in symptom onset.

In some cases, symptoms may appear several weeks or months later (e.g., reported ranges of 3–70 days across sources, with medians around 8–11 days or 2–3 weeks in CDC-aligned data).
Pregnancy-associated cases often have a longer incubation (median around 27.5 days in studies referenced by CDC-related sources, up to 67 days).
If left untreated, invasive listeriosis can progress and persist, leading to severe complications rather than resolving on its own. Without antibiotics, the infection may not clear, especially in high-risk groups, and can result in prolonged illness, hospitalization, or death (nearly 1 in 6 non-pregnant invasive cases are fatal).

The CDC notes that while some healthy people may experience self-limited illness, untreated invasive cases in vulnerable individuals often require prompt antibiotic treatment to prevent worsening.

Listeria initial symptoms

Intestinal illness: Mild and short-lived (typically lasts 1–3 days).

Diarrhea
Fever
Other gastrointestinal issues (e.g., nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps)
Invasive illness (more common in high-risk groups like me, a person with multiple autoimmune conditions):

Fever and flu-like symptoms (e.g., muscle aches, fatigue)
In pregnant women, symptoms are often mild or flu-like (some have no symptoms), but can lead to severe fetal or newborn outcomes.
In non-pregnant people (especially seniors or immunocompromised folks): Headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, convulsions or seizures (indicating meningitis, sepsis, or meningoencephalitis) might be observed.

Long-term or untreated effects of Listeriosis

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If untreated, listeriosis does not typically resolve spontaneously in severe cases and can lead to serious, potentially life-threatening complications:

Invasive listeriosis (untreated): Can progress to sepsis (blood infection), meningitis (brain or spinal cord inflammation), encephalitis, or other systemic issues. High mortality in vulnerable groups (e.g., ~20% overall for invasive cases; higher in certain forms).
Pregnancy-related: Even with mild or absent maternal symptoms, untreated infection often causes miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening newborn infection (e.g., neonatal sepsis or meningitis).
Neurological long-term effects (if survived severe cases): Possible lasting issues from meningitis or encephalitis, such as neurological damage, though the CDC emphasizes prevention and early treatment to avoid these.
Intestinal form usually resolves on its own without long-term issues if mild.

The CDC stresses that listeriosis is treatable with antibiotics (e.g., ampicillin), especially when caught early, and high-risk people should seek medical care promptly for fever or flu-like symptoms after potential exposure. For the most current details, refer to the CDC's Listeria pages found in the list of citations in the show description.

The implicated product, containing Listeria, was produced by Sunnyvalley Smoked Meats in Manteca, California, on September 25, 2023, and was a 4-pound vacuum-packed "Kirkland Signature Applewood Smoked MASTER CARVE HALF HAM Boneless With Natural Juices," bearing a Use/Freeze by date of January 20, 2024, and lot number 264-4, in case you still have this product in your deep freezer. These hams, marked with the establishment number "EST. 17823" inside the USDA inspection seal, were shipped to Costco locations in Colorado, California, and Nevada and were available for purchase from September 26 to 29, 2023. The issue surfaced through the company's internal laboratory testing, which detected possible Listeria contamination, prompting notification to FSIS. As the FSIS stated, "A recall was not requested because it is believed that the affected products are no longer in commerce."

Listeria food contamination outbreak

This incident fits into a disturbing pattern of Listeria outbreaks tied to deli meats and ready-to-eat products. Listeria is particularly insidious because it can grow at refrigerator temperatures, unlike many bacteria, making it a stealthy threat in homes and foodservice settings. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that Listeria sickens about 1,600 people annually in the U.S., leading to around 260 deaths.

Echoing broader trends, this Costco ham alert preceded larger crises. For instance, the 2024 Boar's Head deli meat outbreak, which included various hams, resulted in 10 deaths and 60 hospitalizations across 19 states due to Listeria contamination. Experts like Bill Marler, a food safety attorney, emphasize the need for rigorous sanitation: "Listeria is a hardy bacterium that can persist in food processing environments if not properly controlled."

Consumers were advised to discard or return the ham, with FSIS urging: "Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase." For those experiencing symptoms like high fever, stiff neck, or nausea after consumption, immediate medical attention is recommended, especially for at-risk groups. However, my family and I couldn’t get the help we needed for two years.

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Our story is why the New Normal Big Life podcast crew continually works with expert guests to help you become a wiser consumer and patient advocate for yourself and those you love. Get expert advice from Dr. Julie Siemers in season 1 episode 25: ‘Surviving Your Hospital Stay,’ where she gives you the steps to take, the words to say, and the hierarchy to use to escalate your complaints when necessary. This Listeria episode at Costco amplifies the series' core message: from plastic shards in peanut butter to E. coli in beef and PFAS in juices, contaminants infiltrate our food chain through lapses in oversight and production. As outbreaks multiply and Listeria recalls rise 25% in recent years, calls for enhanced FDA and FSIS enforcement grow louder. Darin Detwiler warns, "We're seeing more detections, but that means more failures in prevention."

Until systemic reforms take hold, vigilance remains our best defense against these hidden hazards.

Stay vigilant, wellness warriors, your health depends on it.

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