Deadly Listeria Outbreak Linked To Ready-To-Eat Meals
Ready-to-eat meals sold at retailers like Walmart and Kroger around the country have been recalled.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service says that three people have died and more than a dozen people have fallen ill due to a listeria outbreak across 13 states.
FreshRealm is recalling a number of chicken fettuccine alfredo meals due to a risk of potential contamination.
The affected items include "Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Fettuccine" in both 32.8-ounce and 12.3-ounce trays, as well as "Home Chef Heat & Eat Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo" in a 12.5-ounce tray.
The meals all have expiration dates within the month of June, with the latest among them being June 27th.
The FDA says that it is investigating a listeria outbreak related to those affected meals that has sickened 17 people. All but one of the people made sick by the meals were hospitalized, according to the CDC.
Texas reported the most cases with three, followed by Michigan with two.
Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Nevada, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia have all recorded cases in accordance with the outbreak.
The CDC notes that listeria is a serious condition that can be dangerous or life-threatening. It's particularly dangerous for pregnant women, older adults or anyone with a weakened immune system. Listeria is a less common foodborne illness than salmonella, but it is far more deadly.
Serious symptoms can include convulsions, diarrhea, miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery or even death.
260 people per year die from the illness on average in the United States.
The USDA has advised those who have purchased the affected items to throw them away immediately, and it has also told those who suspect contamination to notify a health care provider.
"FSIS also used purchase records from two ill people to trace purchased chicken fettuccine Alfredo products to FreshRealm establishments," the USDA said in a statement regarding the outbreak.
“An additional two ill people verbally described chicken fettuccine Alfredo products they purchased. FSIS identified products produced by FreshRealm that matched the descriptions during follow-up at the retail stores where they shopped.”