Frozen Supplement Shakes Recalled Due to Listeria Concerns, Linked to 11 Deaths and 38 Illnesses

Image credits: FDA / iStock / Fox News

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published an urgent warning instructing consumers to discard certain brands of frozen supplement milkshakes due to concerns over Listeria contamination. The recall, which includes all Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental shakes, was announced by the FDA on Friday. Of the 38 illnesses that have been reported so far, 37 people have been hospitalized and 11 have died. The manufacturer, Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc., initiated the recall and alerted food distributor Lyons Magnus LLC to the outbreak.

The FDA's traceback investigation identified that each of the long-term care facilities (LTCF) who supplied invoice information for review from 2024 to present received a frozen supplemental shake of either Lyons ReadyCare or Sysco Imperial brand. As part of this investigation, the FDA collected environmental samples and found the outbreak strain of Listeria. The recalled shakes were distributed to long-term health facilities, and most of the illnesses involved those in long-term care facilities, the FDA said. Of the 38 people for whom information is available, 34 (89%) reported living in long-term care facilities or were hospitalized prior to becoming sick.

The milkshakes were distributed to the following states: 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. Listeria monocytogenes can lead to listeriosis, which is especially deadly to older adults, though pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are also at risk. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), listeriosis can lead to "fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms."

Here is a list of the recalled products: * Lyons ReadyCare Frozen Vanilla Shake * Lyons ReadyCare Frozen Chocolate Shake * Lyons ReadyCare Frozen Strawberry Shake * Lyons ReadyCare Frozen Vanilla Shake NSA * Lyons ReadyCare Frozen Strawberry Shake NSA * Lyons ReadyCare Frozen Chocolate Shake Plus * Lyons ReadyCare Frozen Strawberry Shake Plus * Lyons ReadyCare Frozen Vanilla Shake Plus * Lyons ReadyCare Frozen Strawberry Banana Shake NSA * Sysco Imperial Frozen Vanilla Shake * Sysco Imperial Frozen Chocolate Shake * Sysco Imperial Frozen Strawberry Shake * Sysco Imperial Frozen Vanilla Shake NSA * Sysco Imperial Frozen Strawberry Shake NSA * Sysco Imperial Frozen Strawberry Banana Shake NSA The FDA is actively investigating the outbreak, and consumers with questions may visit the Lyons Magnus website at www.lyonsmagnus.com for more information or contact them at frozenshakerecall@lyonsmagnus.com.

The outbreak related to the shakes dates back to 2018, according to the FDA. Symptoms of Listeriosis, a listeria infection, typically start two weeks after eating contaminated food but can start up to 10 weeks later. These may include fever, muscle aches, and nausea, and in serious cases, confusion, stiff neck, and convulsions. Pregnant women, people over the age of 65, and those with weakened immune systems are most at risk. The FDA advises that persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the healthcare provider about eating the contaminated food.