2 more airlines stop serving hot food from LAX caterer hit by listeria

Delta Air Lines and Virgin Australia have stopped serving hot meals from Gate Gourmet at Los Angeles International Airport after listeria was found in the caterer’s local kitchen.

Virgin Australia is giving passengers vouchers for food before their LAX flights.

Delta said it found another caterer to provide hot food but still gets cheese and fruit plates and wraps that are prepared in another part of the Gate Gourmet facility. Delta spokeswoman Catherine Sirna said Tuesday that Delta temporarily changed caterers so Gate Gourmet can be more aggressive in improving food safety.

American Airlines suspended service from Gate Gourmet at LAX two weeks ago.

Gate Gourmet spokeswoman Catherine Nugent said the listeria was not found on food-contact surfaces. She said that the company launched a cleaning program and that the LAX kitchen meets all local and federal food-safety regulations.

The federal government says about 1,600 people get sick from listeria each year. The bacteria can cause dangerous complications for pregnant women, including miscarriages and stillbirths.