What is listeria? A microbiologist explains the bacterium behind recent deadly food poisoning outbreaks

(THE CONVERSATION) Bacteria do, and will, end up in food. Everyone eats – intentionally or unintentionally – millions to billions of live microbes every day.Most are completely harmless, but some can cause serious illnesses in humans. Because of these potential pathogens, there is a long list of foods to avoid, including uncooked eggs, raw fish, and unwashed fruits and vegetables, particularly for pregnant women. The foods themselves are not bad, but the same cannot be