BLACKSBURG, Va., June 4 -- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University issued the following news release:
Every time you rinse fresh lettuce for a salad, slice fruit for your kids, or grab packaged produce from the grocery store, there is an invisible world traveling alongside that food: bacteria. Most of it is harmless, and some of it is helpful. But certain bacteria, like listeriosis-causing listeria, can cause serious illness if they make their way from soil and water into the foods we eat.
Even more worrisome, research byJingqiu Liao, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, has found that listeria bacteria adapts to survive in the harsh environments of food-processing facilities and fresh foods, making the ...