Listeria Outbreak Results in Hospitalizations of 10 People in California, Nevada

An FDA site inspection found bacterial contamination on a piece of equipment in the food company linked to the outbreak.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration building in White Oak, Md., on June 5, 2023. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

An outbreak of listeria monocytogenes bacteria has infected and hospitalized 10 individuals in California and Nevada, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said in a May 10 update.

The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are investigating the issue. In response to the probe, California-based Fresh & Ready Foods LLC has recalled several ready-to-eat food products from the market linked to the outbreak.

The products being withdrawn are sold under the brand names Fresh & Ready Foods, City Point Market Fresh Food to Go, and Fresh Take Crave Away. The items have use-by dates ranging from April 22 to May 19.

“The recalled products were distributed between 04/18/2025 and 04/28/2025 and sold in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Washington at a variety of locations including retailers and food service locations such as hospitals, hotels, convenience stores, airports, and airlines,” the FDA said.

Out of the 10 infections, California accounts for eight cases.

The FDA and the CDC were investigating the outbreak last year, but shut down the probe after failing to determine a source.

Last month, the FDA identified listeria from samples of Fresh & Ready Foods products during routine inspection and reopened the investigation. Genome sequencing confirmed that the strain of listeria in the outbreak matches the strain found in the items.

State and local officials interviewed people about the food they ate prior to getting infected, with some of them confirming they were served Fresh & Ready Foods’ ready-to-eat items.

In a company announcement published by the FDA on May 11, Fresh & Ready Foods said an FDA inspection at a site found listeria on a piece of equipment.

The company took “immediate corrective actions” in response to the situation, it said. This includes removing site equipment to address the bacterial contamination and comply with FDA guidance.

“Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems,” the announcement reads.

“Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, a Listeria monocytogenes infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.”

The Epoch Times reached out to Fresh & Ready Foods for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.

Infection Risks

According to the CDC, listeria is the third leading cause of death in the United States from foodborne illnesses.

The agency estimates that 1,600 individuals are infected with listeria in the country every year, with 260 people dying from the infection.

Regarding the Fresh & Ready Foods recall, the CDC recommends that people clean their “refrigerator, containers, and surfaces that may have touched the recalled foods,” noting that the bacteria “can survive in the refrigerator and can easily spread to other foods and surfaces.”

The CDC advises pregnant women who have consumed the recalled foods and feel symptoms such as fever, tiredness, and muscle aches to call their health care provider “right away.”

“Your illness may be mild, but Listeria can cause pregnancy loss or premature birth. It can also cause serious illness or death in newborns,” the agency said.

A Feb. 13 report from Public Interest Research Group said more Americans got sick from contaminated food outbreaks last year than in 2023. In addition, the number of people who were hospitalized or died doubled.

“Nearly 1,400 people became ill from food they ate in 2024 that was later recalled—98% of them from just 13 outbreaks, a stunning fact that shows the consequences of companies producing or selling contaminated food,” it said.

“All but one of the 13 outbreaks involved Listeria, Salmonella, or E. coli.

“Listeria led to 65 of the recalls, or 22% of recalls in 2024. There were 47 in 2022, and 56 in 2019.”

Multiple food products have been recalled over the past months citing listeria contamination.

In April, California-based Duda Farm Fresh Foods Inc. withdrew celery sold in 30 states for this reason. The risk of contamination was identified after a random sampling of the items by Georgia officials resulted in several samples returning positive for listeria.

Earlier in February, several frozen shake cartons supplied to nursing homes and long-term care facilities in the United States were recalled due to their link to a listeria outbreak that had led to 37 hospitalizations and 11 deaths.