Hannaford in South Portland on Oct. 4. The supermarket has recalled certain premade meals and frozen burritos and waffles because of possible listeria contamination.

Ready meals sold at Shaw’s. Frozen waffles sold at Hannaford. Boar’s Head deli meats sold nationwide.

Supermarket patrons across Maine and beyond have faced regular listeria recalls lately, making it difficult to feel confident that the food we buy is safe.

Here’s what you need to know:

What are the latest listeria recalls in Maine?

On Saturday, Albertsons companies, including Shaw’s Supermarkets in Maine, voluntarily recalled 12 prepared meals and store-made deli items containing a chicken ingredient supplied by Fresh Creative Foods due to possible listeria contamination. Hannaford added Evol and Red’s frozen burritos to its list of recalled products that contained the chicken.

On Friday, TreeHouse Foods voluntarily recalled waffle products sold under private or store brand labels at Hannaford, Target, Walmart and Dollar General. Hannaford keeps a running list of recalled products, including several last week for frozen meals by Rao’s, Don Pancho, Bellisio and Atkins that contained the recalled chicken.

The Boar’s Head deli meats recall in late July was triggered when a liverwurst sample taken by the Maryland Department of Health tested positive for listeria. The Virginia company recalled over 7 million pounds of various deli meats with sell-by dates extending through Oct. 17. A total of 59 people infected with the outbreak strain of listeria were reported in 19 states outside Maine, resulting in 10 deaths, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What caused the latest recalls?

The Shaw’s recall was initiated because chicken supplied by BrucePac of Durant, Oklahoma, was found to be contaminated with listeria during routine tests by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. The waffle recall was initiated by TreeHouse Foods after listeria was discovered at the manufacturing facility during routine testing. No confirmed illnesses linked to these products had been reported at the time of recalls.

How can you tell if your food has been recalled? 

Some retailers post detailed recall information on their websites, including Hannaford. “We work closely with our suppliers and regulatory partners to monitor these issues and will continue to assess any additional actions that may be needed,” said Hannaford spokesperson Caitlin Cortelyou.

Others link to manufacturer recall announcements or listings with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration or the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. The announcements typically include sell-by dates and UPC codes to help identify potentially contaminated products. Shaw’s linked to Albertsons recall page. Dollar General’s website had no information about the recall affecting its Clover Valley brand waffles.

What are symptoms of listeria infection?

Listeria monocytogenes is a type of bacteria that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, pregnant women, people over age 65 and others with weakened immune systems, according to the CDC.

Listeria can cause pregnancy loss, premature birth or life-threatening infection in newborns. It often results in hospitalization and sometimes death in health-compromised people because it can spread beyond the gut to other parts of the body, causing invasive listeriosis.

Symptoms usually start within 2 weeks after eating listeria-contaminated food but may begin the same day or 10 weeks later. Healthy individuals may experience only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. More serious symptoms include confusion, loss of balance and seizures.

Call your health care provider if you have any of these symptoms. Usual treatments include antibiotics.

What should you do if you have recalled products?

Throw away or return products to the store where they were purchased. Hannaford customers may call 800-213-9040 or return recalled items for a full refund. If you shop at a smaller grocery store, like Bow Street Market in Freeport, which is supplied by Hannaford, check with the smaller store for recall announcements and return policies.

Listeria can grow on refrigerated and frozen foods and surfaces. Clean your refrigerator, food storage containers and any surfaces that may have touched contaminated products. Hannaford also recommends checking standalone freezers and other storage areas for recalled products. Listeria can be killed by heating food to an internal temperature of 165 degrees or until steaming hot, according to the CDC.

What are grocery stores doing about the recalls?

Federal authorities advise retailers to throw away recalled foods and any other open products that may have been stored or displayed where cross-contamination is possible. They also should thoroughly clean and sanitize all food and non-food surfaces where potentially contaminated products were stored or displayed, following federal food safety best practices.

“All Hannaford stores follow strict food safety protocols,” said Cortelyou, the company spokesperson. “We take this work very seriously and are fully committed to delivering safe and wholesome food to our customers.”