February 26, 2025
Sysco expresses our most sincere condolences with those affected by this outbreak and their families.
Sysco Corporation in a statement after recalling frozen shakes linked to a lysteria outbreak. The shakes were sold to hospitals and long-term care facilities and are not available to the general public.
Why It Matters: A listeria outbreak linked to frozen supplemental shakes sold to hospitals and long-term care facilities has caused 12 deaths and infected at least 38 people across 21 states, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Monday. Of the 38 individuals infected, 37 required hospitalization.
What To Know:
- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began investigating the outbreak in 2018 but lacked enough information to determine a cause. The probe was reopened in November. The outbreak strain was found in Prairie Farms samples this month, and the CDC warns that more cases may exist.
- Sysco has recalled the Sysco Imperial and Lyons ReadyCare shakes, alerted customers and stopped purchases of Lyons Magnus products from the affected Prairie Farms Dairy facility in Indiana.
- The FDA investigated another listeria outbreak in December, and about 2 million baked goods from FGF Brands were recalled over possible contamination, including some sold at Dunkin’.
Listeria “is the third leading cause of death from foodbourne illnesses in the U.S.,” killing about 260 people annually. (CDC) Populations most at risk include those over 65 and pregnant women. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, headache and loss of balance and usually occur within two weeks of consuming contaminated food.
Read More: Listeria outbreak linked with supplemental shakes now stands at 12 deaths, FDA says (CNN)
Frozen shakes sold to nursing homes recalled after 12 die of listeria (The Washington Post)
Outbreak Investigation of Listeria monocytogenes: Frozen Supplemental Shakes (February 2025) (FDA)
Image Credit: Center for Disease Control (CDC)
by Jalen Meyerpeter, Based in Arizona.
