Listeria outbreak linked to recalled frozen shakes now blamed for 12 deaths

A listeria outbreak linked to recalled frozen supplemental nutrition shakes has infected 38 people, killing 12, according to an update on Monday from federal and state health officials.

The infections, which ranged across 21 states, have been traced to recalled products manufactured by Prairie Farms Dairy at a facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Swabs collected from the plant’s processing area tested positive for listeria, with the investigation ongoing, the Food and Drug Administration stated in a new alert.

The following states have reported cases of listeria tied to the recalled shakes: Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and West Virginia. 

The ongoing outbreak includes illnesses dating back to 2018, with total 20 cases occurring this year and in 2024, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Of the 38 people for whom information is available, 37 have been hospitalized and 12 deaths have been reported as of Monday. The vast majority of those who were infected with listeria reported living in a long-term care facility or being hospitalized before becoming sick, the CDC said.

The death toll linked to the Prairie Farms Dairy shakes is greater than one in 2024 connected to deli meats made by Boar’s Head that resulted in 10 deaths and 57 illnesses in what was labeled the worst listeria outbreak since one in 2011 linked to cantaloupe. 

Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious, and sometimes fatal, infections in the young, frail or elderly, as well as in people with weakened immune systems. While healthy individuals may suffer from more minor symptoms, including fever, headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, the infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. 

Fresno, California-based food maker Lyons Magnus on Feb. 22 recalled four-ounce Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shakes supplied by Prairie Farms and distributed mostly to nursing homes nationwide. The recalled products had best-by-dates of February 21, 2025, to February 21, 2026, and came in vanilla, chocolate, strawberry or strawberry banana. 

Lyons Magnus said any consumer with the recalled product should “quarantine” the item. For more information, visit the company’s website or contact it at frozenshakerecall@lyonsmagnus.com.