Health

Listeria Outbreak in Plant-Based Milk: It’s Time to Give Some Context to the Reality of the Situation

A Listeria outbreak linked to Silk and Great Value plant-based milk products in Canada has recently made headlines, causing significant concern among consumers and prompting a large-scale recall by Danone, the parent company of Silk.

The French food giant recalled 18 different products, including three almond beverages under the Great Value brand, all produced at a third-party manufacturing facility in Pickering, Ontario. Although the investigation into the exact cause of the outbreak is ongoing, this incident has raised questions about food safety in the plant-based sector.

Listeria is a genus of bacteria, with Listeria monocytogenes being the most significant species concerning human health. This pathogen can cause listeriosis, a severe infection, especially in vulnerable populations such as pregnant women, newborns, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that Listeria is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States.

Listeria most commonly linked to animal-derived foods

While Listeria is widespread in the environment and can contaminate a wide range of foods, the Food Standards Agency cites that it is most commonly associated with animal-derived products, particularly cold pre-cooked meats, deli meats, smoked and cured fish, cooked shellfish and soft mold-ripened cheeses. The bacteria thrive in environments related to animal agriculture, such as raw meat and dairy facilities, where conditions where conditions favor their growth.

deli meats at a counter listeria
© INT888 – stock.adobe.com

The Silk recall

The Silk recall is indeed an anomaly in the plant-based sector. While there is always a risk of contamination involved with any food processing, plant-based products generally pose a lower risk of carrying pathogens compared to their animal-based counterparts. This is primarily due to the absence of animal-derived ingredients, which are more frequently linked with foodborne illnesses. Additionally, many plant-based products undergo processing methods like pasteurization or sterilization that kill harmful bacteria. Therefore, the contamination likely occurred during production or packaging, where the pathogen was introduced into the product, but investigations are still ongoing.

Despite the fact that none of the recalled products were distributed outside of Canada, there has been widespread backlash across North America. Silk’s global social media pages have been flooded with negative comments, even though the American market remains unaffected.

The company’s Canadian president issued an apology, commenting on the devastating impact of the outbreak on consumers and retail partners. The company has also shared a detailed list of the recalled products, complete with product codes and ‘best before’ dates, to help consumers identify the potentially affected items.

Silk almond milk production
© Silk

Broader context

While the Silk recall has garnered significant media attention, it’s important to place this incident in the broader context of Listeria outbreaks, the vast majority of which are linked to non-vegan foods. In 2018, a major Listeria outbreak in South Africa linked to a processed meat product called “Polony” resulted in nearly 1,000 cases and over 200 deaths. Similarly, just weeks ago, the CDC reported a Listeria outbreak across 12 US states linked to Boar’s Head liverwurst, with officials announcing the recall of over 7 million pounds of over 71 different products, resulting in 43 hospitalizations and three deaths.

The deadliest foodborne outbreak in Canadian history occurred in 2008 when contaminated cold cuts from Maple Leaf Foods led to the deaths of 22 people.

Despite the severity of these cases, they did not receive the same level of media coverage as the Silk plant-based milk recall.

Disparity in media

The disparity in media coverage can be attributed to several factors. First, plant-based products are relatively new and still growing in popularity. As a result, any safety issues tend to attract more attention. Secondly, consumers often perceive plant-based foods as inherently safer or healthier, so a contamination issue in this sector may seem more newsworthy or shocking. Lastly, the rapidly growing plant-based industry may face more rigorous scrutiny, with safety concerns being more immediately reported due to the novelty of these products.

Girl drinking milk in school
© Lightfield Studios – stock.adobe.com

As with many of the public perceptions of novel foods, such as alternatives to meat and dairy, the reputation and opinions held by consumers are easily swayed by the mass media. Inevitably, and tragically, this is likely to lead to decreased acceptance of plant-based milk.

However, in reality, these milk are better for health and the environment. According to UCLA Health, plant-based milks offer lower cholesterol, fewer saturated fats, and lower sugar and are hormone-free. They can also provide higher levels of vitamins and minerals, depending on the type and amount of fortification. Based on insights from Our World In Data, plant-based milks are also significantly better for the environment, requiring significantly less water and land while producing fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to dairy milk.

The reality, which isn’t adequately conveyed in the press, is that Listeria and other foodborne illnesses are, in the vast majority of cases, caused by bacteria in animal-based products. It’s important to consider the broader benefits and risks associated with different types of food production rather than focusing on isolated incidents.

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