CDC warns of Listeria outbreak linked to supplement shakes distributed in long-term care facilities

A CDC food safety alert regarding a multistate outbreak of Listeria infections has been posted: https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/shakes-022025/index.html

Key Points:

• Thirty-eight people from 21 states have been infected with this outbreak strain of Listeria. Thirty-seven people have been hospitalized, and 12 people have died.
• While cases date back to 2018, over half of the people affected by this outbreak got sick in either 2024 or 2025. It is common for Listeria outbreaks to last several years because it is an incredibly hardy germ that can survive on surfaces for long periods of time.
• CDC has investigated this strain several times but never had enough information to identify a food source, beyond something being served in long-term care facilities. Environmental testing and whole genome sequencing helped solve the outbreak this year.
• Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco have recalled all supplement shakes under their brands and within shelf life, and questions about the recall should be directed to FDA.
• The ages of those affected range from 43-101 years, with older adults over the age of 65 years being the most affected.
• These shakes were distributed nationwide to institutional settings like long-term care facilities and given most commonly to those on medically necessary soft diets.
• These products are not available to the general public and are only available to institutional settings like long-term care facilities.

What You Should Do:

• Do not eat any recalled products.
• Throw them away or return them to where you bought them.
• Clean your refrigerator, containers, and surfaces that may have touched the recalled products. Listeria can survive in the refrigerator and can easily spread to other foods and surfaces.
• Call a healthcare provider right away if you have symptoms after eating recalled products.

What Businesses Should Do:

• Do not sell or serve recalled supplement shakes.
• Follow FDA's safe handling and cleaning advice if you sold or served recalled products.

Listeria Symptoms:

• Listeria is especially harmful to women who are pregnant, people who are aged 65 years or older, or people with weakened immune systems. This is because Listeria is more likely to spread beyond the gut to other parts of their body, resulting in a severe condition known as invasive listeriosis.
  • For women who are pregnant, Listeria can cause pregnancy loss, premature birth, or a life-threatening infection in their newborn.
  • For people who are 65 years or older or who have a weakened immune system, Listeria often results in hospitalization and sometimes death.
• Symptoms usually start within 2 weeks after eating food contaminated with Listeria but may start as early as the same day or as late as 10 weeks after.
  • Pregnant women usually have fever, muscle aches, and tiredness.
  • Other people usually have fever, muscle aches, and tiredness. They may also get a headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or seizures.
• For more information about Listeria, see the Listeria homepage.

If you have questions about cases in a particular state, please call that state's health department.

Thank you,

CDC News Media Branch

404-639-3286

[email protected]