February 24, 2025

A twelfth person has died in the Listeria monocytogenes outbreak traced to Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shakes supplied to hospitals and long-term care facilities, according to a report released today by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The deaths occurred in California, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New York, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington.

Since 2018, 38 people have been confirmed infected with the outbreak strain. Most of the victims reported that they lived in long-term care facilities or had been hospitalized prior to becoming ill.

Outbreak illnesses have been reported in 21 states to date: Alabama (1), California (4), Colorado (1), Connecticut (2), Florida (2), Illinois (2), Indiana (3), Maryland (1), Michigan (2), Minnesota (1), Missouri (1), North Carolina (2), Nevada (1), New York (3), Ohio (1), Oklahoma (1), Pennsylvania (1), Tennessee (2), Texas (5), Washington (1), and West Virginia (1).

Outbreak victims ranged in age from 43 to 101 years, with a median age of 78.

The CDC investigated this outbreak on three prior occasions: in 2018, 2021, and 2023. Epidemiological investigations determined that that sick people were residents in long-term care facilities and nursing homes and the likely source was a food served in those types of institutions; however, there was not enough information to identify a specific food.

A new cluster of six new infections caused by the same outbreak strain was identified in October 2024. This time, the CDC was able to flag a product of interest.

A traceback investigation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identified Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shakes manufactured by Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. (“Prairie Farms”) from the Prairie Farms facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the probable source of the outbreak.

During an inspection of the manufacturing facility, the FDA collected environmental and product samples at the Fort Wayne location. Three of the environmental swabs collected from the processing area tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, and Whole Genome Sequencing established that the strain recovered from these samples was closely related to the outbreak strain.

On February 22, 2025, Lyons Magnus LLC recalled multiple Best-by date codes of seventeen (17) 4 oz. Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shakes.

What the public needs to know

Symptoms of a Listeria infection

Symptoms usually start within two weeks after eating food contaminated with Listeria but may start as early as the same day or as late as 10 weeks after. Mild symptoms may include a fever, muscle aches, nausea, tiredness, vomiting, and diarrhea. If the more severe form of listeriosis develops, symptoms may include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.

General recommendations

• Distributors and foodservice customers, including hospitals and long-term care facilities who purchased or received Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shakes should not sell or serve these products. Carefully clean and sanitize any surfaces or containers that they touched and follow FDA’s safe handling and cleaning advice to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. Listeria can survive in refrigerated temperatures 
  and can easily spread to other foods and surfaces.
• If you or your family member have symptoms of listeriosis you should contact your health care provider to report your symptoms and receive care.

Recommendations for at-risk groups

• Listeria is most likely to sicken pregnant women and newborns, adults aged 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems. Other people can be infected with Listeria, but they rarely become seriously ill.
• Pregnant women typically experience only fever, fatigue, and muscle aches. However, Listeria  infection during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn.
• Call your healthcare provider right away if you have symptoms of a Listeria infection.

Interested in learning more about food safety and the history of foodborne disease outbreaks and investigations?

Click on the link to listen to a short excerpt, then follow the buy links to add a digital, print or audio copy to your personal library.

TAINTED is available in digital format from all major on-line retailers. Press the button to go directly to your preferred digital bookstore.

February 22, 2025

Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shakes have been linked to an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes illnesses in longterm care facilities and hospitals since 2018, according to a report released yesterday by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Thirty-eight people have been confirmed to be part of this outbreak; twenty of the 38 cases were reported to the CDC in 2024 and 2025.

Thirty-seven of the 38 confirmed victims were hospitalized.

Eleven victims have died.

Thirty-four of the 38 known victims reported living in long term care facilities or were hospitalized prior to becoming sick. Records reviewed from facilities indicated nutritional shakes were available to residents.

Outbreak cases have been reported in 21 states: Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and West Virginia.

The FDA was first informed of the outbreak on November 25, 2024. The agency conducted a traceback investigation and determined (based on a review of invoices) that each of the longterm care facilities who supplied invoice information had received a frozen supplemental shake of either Lyons ReadyCare or Sysco Imperial brand.

Environmental sampling conducted by the FDA as part of its investigation confirmed the presence of the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes.

The FDA has been informed that certain Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shakes are being voluntarily recalled.

CDC is MIA—Again

Until the change in administration, an Outbreak Investigation notice from the FDA almost always was accompanied by a corresponding notice from the CDC.

A CDC outbreak notice typically summarizes demographic and epidemiological investigation results: age range of outbreak victims, time chart of when cases were diagnosed or reported, breakdown of case distribution by states, et cetera.

The CDC has not posted either notices of new outbreaks or updates to existing outbreaks since January 20th.

What the public needs to know

Symptoms of a Listeria infection

Symptoms usually start within two weeks after eating food contaminated with Listeria but may start as early as the same day or as late as 10 weeks after. Mild symptoms may include a fever, muscle aches, nausea, tiredness, vomiting, and diarrhea. If the more severe form of listeriosis develops, symptoms may include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.

General recommendations

• Distributors and foodservice customers, including hospitals and long-term care facilities who purchased or received Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shakes should not sell or serve these products. Carefully clean and sanitize any surfaces or containers that they touched and follow FDA’s safe handling and cleaning advice to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. Listeria can survive in refrigerated temperatures 
  and can easily spread to other foods and surfaces.
• If you or your family member have symptoms of listeriosis you should contact your health care provider to report your symptoms and receive care.

Recommendations for at-risk groups

• Listeria is most likely to sicken pregnant women and newborns, adults aged 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems. Other people can be infected with Listeria, but they rarely become seriously ill.
• Pregnant women typically experience only fever, fatigue, and muscle aches. However, Listeria  infection during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn.
• Call your healthcare provider right away if you have symptoms of a Listeria infection.

Interested in learning more about food safety and the history of foodborne disease outbreaks and investigations?

Click on the link to listen to a short excerpt, then follow the buy links to add a digital, print or audio copy to your personal library.

TAINTED is available in digital format from all major on-line retailers. Press the button to go directly to your preferred digital bookstore.