Listeria source identified

Recently two women gave birth prematurely and five others also contracted listeriosis after a Virgin Blue flight from Brisbane. These incidents have been traced back to Listeria food poisoning from chicken wraps consumed on the plane.

A NSW company, GMI Food Wholesalers Pty Ltd (trading as Australian Poultry and Food Wholesalers), has been found to be linked to the outbreak.

“Results of thorough testing conducted by the Food Authority and Queensland authorities show that the Listeria bacteria came from a cooked, diced chicken product supplied by the company to a Virgin Blue food supplier,” the NSW Primary Industries Minister, Mr Ian Macdonald advised.

“The Authority acted swiftly to identify the supplier and, following investigations by Authority officers, as a public health precaution immediately placed a prohibition order on the company on 4 August,” Mr Macdonald said. “Laboratory analysis finalised this week confirms the link that Listeria bacteria consumed by passengers on the Virgin Blue flights originated in the chicken processed at the Wollongong-based plant.”

“The prohibition order means the company is forbidden from producing or selling the implicated chicken product and any other ready-to-eat meats manufactured at the premises.”
The order will remain in place until further notice.

“Consumers can be assured that the contaminated product that was sent to Queensland has been isolated and removed from the marketplace,” Mr Macdonald concluded.