Over 86 ready-to-eat food products across four states are now linked to a dangerous listeria outbreak that has hospitalized 10 people, prompting Fresh & Ready Foods to issue an urgent nationwide recall.
Key Takeaways
- Fresh & Ready Foods has recalled 86 products including sandwiches, salads, and snacks after listeria bacteria was discovered at their San Fernando, California facility.
- Ten people have been hospitalized across multiple states from listeria infections linked to these ready-to-eat foods.
- Affected products were distributed between April 18-28 in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Washington with “Use By” dates from April 22 to May 19, 2025.
- Products were sold at grocery stores, airports, hospitals, college campuses, and convenience stores under three brand names: Fresh & Ready Foods, City Point Market Fresh Food to Go, and Fresh Take Crave Away.
- Listeria can cause severe illness in pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and those with weakened immune systems, potentially leading to miscarriages and stillbirths.
Widespread Distribution Creates Public Health Concern
The extensive reach of the contaminated products has raised serious public health concerns, as the recalled items made their way to numerous public venues before the outbreak was identified. The products were distributed to “specialty grocery stores, national grocery stores, airlines & airports, food service industry, hospitals, college campuses, convenience stores, and retail stores,” according to Fresh & Ready Foods.
The Food and Drug Administration confirmed the severity of the situation in their announcement about the recall. “A multistate outbreak of Listeria infections has prompted Fresh & Ready Foods, LLC to voluntarily recall a wide range of ready-to-eat sandwiches and snacks” Stated by, Food & Drug Administration (FDA)
Dangerous Bacteria Thrives in Cold Storage
What makes this outbreak particularly concerning is listeria’s unique ability to thrive in refrigerated environments – the very places where these ready-to-eat foods are stored. This characteristic makes the bacterium exceptionally difficult to control once it contaminates a food processing facility. The investigation was reopened in April after routine testing discovered Listeria monocytogenes at the company’s San Fernando, California facility, with subsequent genetic testing confirming it matched the outbreak strain identified in patients.
“Fresh & Ready Foods is voluntarily recalling numerous products after at least 10 people in the U.S. have been sickened in a listeria outbreak linked to its ready-to-eat food products, federal officials” Said Federal
The recall specifically targets products from the San Fernando, California facility, not those produced at the company’s Renton, Washington location. In response to the contamination, Fresh & Ready Foods has implemented corrective actions, including removing equipment that may have harbored the bacteria. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had been monitoring the situation, collecting test samples from sick patients between December 2023 and September 2024.
Protecting Yourself and Your Family
The CDC and FDA are advising consumers who purchased any of the affected products between April 18 and April 28 to immediately dispose of them. The recalled items have “Use By” dates ranging from April 22 to May 19, 2025. Consumers are also being instructed to thoroughly clean any surfaces or containers that may have come into contact with these products to prevent cross-contamination. Those who have purchased recalled items can request refunds via email or phone from Fresh & Ready Foods.
Symptoms of listeria infection include high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. While healthy individuals typically experience mild symptoms, the bacteria poses a significant threat to pregnant women, newborns, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems. In pregnant women, listeria infections can lead to miscarriages and stillbirths, making this recall particularly urgent for expectant mothers who may have consumed these products.
A complete list of the 86 recalled products is available on the FDA website. Consumers are urged to check their refrigerators for any of the affected items and to seek medical attention if they believe they’ve consumed contaminated food and are experiencing symptoms Stated by, FDA
