Listeria Outbreak Linked to Frozen Drink Leads to 14 Deaths
The CDC began investigating the outbreak back in 2018, and then again in 2021 and 2023 as sporadic cases of listeria-related illnesses began surfacing across the U.S. However, there was not enough information for the CDC to positively identify the source of the outbreak until October 2024 when six new illnesses were reported.
In February 2025, the outbreak strain was finally identified through environmental samples obtained by the Food and Drug Administration. The samples linked the outbreak to contaminated frozen supplement shakes made by Prairie Farms Dairy Inc., which were being distributed to long-term care facilities under the Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial brands, according to the FDA. In response to the investigation, Lyons Magnus LLC voluntarily recalled the 4-ounce frozen supplemental shakes.
In total, 42 people across 21 states were reportedly infected with the outbreak strain of listeria monocytogenes, according to the CDC. Of the 42 people with information available, 41 have been hospitalized, and 14 have died across 9 states. Those states include: California, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New York, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington.
Most of the people affected by the outbreak were living in long-term care facilities or were hospitalized prior to becoming sick. However, the CDC also states that the true number of people affected by the outbreak was likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not have been limited to the states with known illnesses.
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