Refrigerated pate or meat spreads should be avoided because they may contain the bacteria listeria. Canned pate, or shelf-safe meat spreads can be eaten. If you are at all concerned or questions about the risk of eating pate, don’t eat it. There are many other foods that are higher in nutrients and good to eat. If the pâté is made from liver, you should avoid it in pregnancy, because liver contains too much of the retinol (animal-based) form of vitamin A, which can be harmful to your developing baby.
Be assured that if you have eaten pate, there’s only a tiny chance you’ll get listeriosis. Listeriosis is so rare that it affects just one pregnancy in every 25,000. The risks to you and your baby are very low. If you are still worried, contact your midwife or doctor, who will be able to reassure you.
Listeria and Pate
The Listeria monocytogenes contamination of 3,065 pâté products sampled at the point of retail sale in England and Wales was examined. Ninety-seven percent of samples were free of contamination with L. monocytogenes, 2.0% (60) had levels of less than 200 CFU/g, and 0.6% (18) had levels of 200 CFU/g or more. Fish and seafood pâté were significantly more commonly contaminated by L. monocytogenes than other pâté types (chi 2 test, P = 0.001). Pâté obtained from small retail shops was significantly more likely to be contaminated at levels of > or = 200 CFU/g (chi 2 tests, P < 0.0005) than that obtained from supermarkets. L. monocytogenes was isolated significantly more often (chi 2 tests, P < 0.00002) from packs of pâté that were open at the time of collection (3.8%) than those that were sold prepacked (1.2%). There were also significantly more samples (chi 2 test, P = 0.0009) where L. monocytogenes was recovered at higher levels (> or = 200 CFU/g) in opened, as compared to prepacked, samples. There was a significant difference in the rates and levels of contamination of opened samples between shops and supermarkets (chi 2 tests, P < 0.0025). Evidence from this study shows that most of the pâté sold in England and Wales is not contaminated with L. monocytogenes, and we suggest that the main areas of concern are cross-contamination and the length of display of pâté sold from opened packs.
What is Listeriosis?
Listeriosis, a serious infection usually caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, is an important public health problem in the United States. The disease primarily affects older adults, pregnant women, newborns, and adults with weakened immune systems. However, rarely, persons without these risk factors can also be affected. The risk may be reduced by following a few simple recommendations.
