CDC and FDA: Deaths in listeria outbreak linked to frozen supplement shakes rise to 14
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FDA scales back routine inspections due to support staff layoffs, prioritizing high-risk cases amid government restructuring and budget cuts.
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The death toll has risen in a multistate listeria outbreak linked to frozen supplement shakes, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
The increase in deaths from the outbreak comes nearly three months after Lyons Magnus, a food service industry provider headquartered in Fresno, California, recalled 4-ounce cartons of Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shakes for possible risk of listeria contamination. The products were produced by Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Lyons Magnus distributed the products, under the Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial brand names, throughout the U.S., primarily to long-term care facilities. The products were not sold at retail stores and none of the shakes should be available on the market, the FDA said.
The FDA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had identified 38 people who were sickened by listeria poisoning and 12 people who died across 21 states, the agencies said in February 2025. Of the 38 people sickened, 37 were hospitalized.
On Friday, May 16, The CDC and FDA increased the number of deaths to 14 and the number of those sickened to 42 (41 were hospitalized). The outbreak investigation has ended, the agencies said.
USA TODAY Recall Database: Search vehicle, product and food recalls
Listeria outbreak investigation began in 2018
The CDC began investigating an outbreak of illnesses among residents in long-term care facilities and nursing homes in 2018 – with continued investigation of cases in 2021 and 2023 – but could not find enough evidence to identify a food culprit.
When six new illnesses were reported in October 2024, the CDC reopened the investigation. In February 2025, the frozen shakes were identified as a possible cause, and the CDC took samples from Prairie Farms, which were found to contain the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes.
Which states had listeria cases linked to frozen shakes?
These are the 21 states the FDA and CDC reported having known listeria outbreaks related to this recall:
Alabama
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Illinois
Indiana
Maryland
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nevada
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
Tennessee
Texas
Washington
West Virginia
What is listeriosis or listeria poisoning?
Listeriosis, or listeria poisoning, is a foodborne bacterial infection most commonly caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes.
About 1,600 people get sick and 260 die each year from listeriosis, according to the CDC. Most people can be infected with listeria and not become seriously ill. But infections during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn, says the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Listeriosis can also lead to cause death in people over the age of 65 or those with weakened immune systems.
What are the symptoms of listeria poisoning?
Signs and symptoms of listeriosis can appear as soon as hours after eating contaminated food and as long as weeks later, the USDA says. People in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell their health care provider.
Among the symptoms:
Fever
Fatigue
Muscle aches
Headache
Stiff neck
Confusion
Loss of balance
Convulsions
Diarrhea
Other gastrointestinal symptoms
Mike Snider is a reporter on USA TODAY's Trending team. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com
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