Bacterial Infection Risk Higher When Food Exposed To Light

When food is exposed to light there is an increased risk of bacterial infection, according to a recent study.

Researchers at Umea University in Sweden found that listeria bacteria found in food, which can cause temporary gastrointestinal issues when it infects people and is a serious health risk for pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems, reacts to light be activating defense mechanisms.

"Listeria monocytogenes, named after the British surgeon Joseph Lister, is ubiquitous in nature but can sometimes spread to food, especially to unpasteurised dairy products and charcuterie," the study notes, via a news release. "The Listeriabacterium can grow in food stored in the fridge, and if contaminated food is consumed without being properly heated, the bacterium can cause infection."

Now, researchers have found a new property in Listeria that activates a protective mechanism when exposed to light and could be used to to prevent the spread of listeria one day in the future, they believe.

"Hopefully, this new knowledge on how light and these small molecules affect the bacterium can, in future, be used to prevent the spread of Listeria and help treat listeriosis," concluded Christopher Andersson, doctoral student at the Department of Molecular Biology at Umeå University and author of the dissertation. 

Related Articles

Listeria Contamination Prompts Recall of Various Fruits

For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).