The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued an urgent public health alert for ready-to-eat meals produced by FreshRealm containing riced cauliflower potentially contaminated with Listeria.
Newsweek reached out to FreshRealm for comment via email.
Why It Matters
In rare cases, consuming food contaminated with Listeria can cause listeriosis. This serious infection can cause symptoms, including fever, nausea, fatigue, and headaches, in healthy people. For older adults, individuals with weakened immune systems, pregnant women, and newborns, exposure can lead to sepsis, meningitis or even death.
In pregnant women, exposure may also cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn.
Hundreds of people die each year from listeria in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, making it the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness.
What To Know
While a recall has not been issued because the products are no longer for sale, consumers should take caution for the following items:
Sold by Blue Apron: 13.05-oz. plastic tray packages labeled “DISH by Blue Apron Cheesy Chicken Mac with Vegetables” with lot codes 25240 and 25247. The product bears establishment number “P-3081.”
Sold by Marley Spoon: 10.5-oz. packages labeled “BALANCE by Marley Spoon BBQ Sauce Beef Meatballs with Cheesy Cauliflower” with lot code 25255. The product bears establishment number “Est. 47718.”
FreshRealm notified FSIS that the riced cauliflower used in these products tested positive for Listeria, leading to the alert issued on Tuesday.
“Several of these outbreaks have been linked to products sold at major retailers, including Walmart, Trader Joe’s, Kroger, and Albertsons,” Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek. “Listeria can be fatal for older adults and for those immunocompromised.” People are urged not to consume these products, dispose of them or return them to the place of purchase.”
While there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions to the products, individuals concerned about contamination should consult a health care provider. Customers who still have these products in their refrigerators or freezers should throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.
What People Are Saying
9i Capital Group CEO Kevin Thompson told Newsweek: “The good news for these brands is that they will put on more stringent safeguards moving forward for their products, which will make their food safer to consume. The downside is that people in the public may take some time to trust these producers again, especially if they fell ill. Those that have fallen ill will likely never touch those same products again.”
Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: “Any time we have a public health warning on food, it’s important consumers take it seriously.”
What Happens Next
Consumers with questions can call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov.
“Those who have purchased items with these ingredients need to be careful moving forward and if they experience any irregularities, reach out to a health care provider immediately,” Beene said.