I Cook Foods in Dandenong South closed pending investigation into listeria related death

A woman has died in hospital after being diagnosed with listeriosis and a Dandenong South business has been closed by health authorities pending further investigation.

Listeria Bacteria.

A woman has died in hospital dead after being diagnosed with listeriosis and a Dandenong South business has been closed by health authorities pending further investigation.

The Department of Health said the elderly woman died on February 4 in an eastern suburbs private hospital.

Subsequent testing on multiple food product samples collected at I Cook Foods, which provides meals to the hospital, returned six positive samples for listeria.

The Department and the Greater Dandenong Council closed the facility overnight on February 21 and it will remain closed for further testing and improvements.

According to the health department the woman, aged in her 80s, is the only case connected to I Cook Foods.

I Cook Foods supplies private hospitals, aged care centres and Meals on Wheels services in the eastern suburbs. It does not supply any public hospitals.

I Cook Foods did not want to comment.

All affected centres have been contacted to make alternative arrangements.

Listeriosis is an illness usually caused by eating food contaminated by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The bacteria are widely distributed in the environment and can grow in food at refrigeration temperatures.

Although uncommon, it can be particularly dangerous for pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.

There have been two cases of listeriosis so far this year, compared to nine for the same period in 2018.

Victoria had 27 cases of listeriosis for the 2018 calendar year.