Tip Tuesday! 7 steps to keep listeria out of your kitchen

By Karis Gabrielson, R.N.

Listeria. Before the summer of 2011, this germ probably wasn't on the minds of many Americans. But, some tainted cantaloupes change

d that. They were to blame for making people in multiple states sick and causing numerous deaths.

Read on to learn some important facts about listeria — and what you can do to protect your family year-round.

Highly dangerous for some
Listeria causes an infection called listeriosis. And, contaminated food is almost always what spreads it.

This foodborne bug isn't a serious danger for most healthy adults and children. But, it can be deadly for certain at-risk groups, including:

• Pregnant women and their babies
• Newborns
• Older adults
• People with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV/AIDS, cancer, diabetes and kidney disease

Listeriosis symptoms can take a few days, or even weeks, to appear. They can include fever, chills, muscle aches — and diarrhea or stomach upset. The infection may also cause headache, stiff neck and confusion. During pregnancy, a woman may experience only a mild, flu-like illness. See "A risk for expectant moms."

Click Here to read the full article with tips!