At least 10 people in the United States have been infected in a listeria outbreak connected to ready-to-eat food items. According to federal officials, a California-based food company has now recalled several products as a safety measure.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Saturday that federal, state, and local health departments are jointly investigating this outbreak. The source has been traced back to foods made by Fresh & Ready Foods LLC, located in San Fernando, California. All 10 reported cases occurred in California and Nevada, and every affected person required hospital care.
According to the FDA, these products were sold in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Washington. They were available not only in retail outlets but also in food service locations such as airports, hotels, hospitals, convenience stores, and even served onboard airlines.
Symptoms and Investigation Timeline
Listeria typically causes symptoms within two weeks after a person consumes contaminated food. Mild symptoms include fever, nausea, vomiting, tiredness, muscle aches, and diarrhea. However, in serious cases, it can cause headaches, confusion, stiff neck, loss of balance, and seizures.
Although the investigation originally began last year, health officials couldn’t pinpoint the cause due to a lack of evidence. That changed in April 2025, when FDA teams collected samples from Fresh & Ready Foods. Lab testing confirmed that the strain found in the food matched the one responsible for the outbreak.
Company Response and Product Recall
In response to the findings, Fresh & Ready Foods issued a statement, saying it had taken “immediate corrective actions including removing equipment to address the issue.”
Investigators also discovered that six out of the 10 patients had been hospitalized before falling sick with listeria. Moreover, food items from Fresh & Ready Foods had been served in three of the healthcare facilities where those individuals were previously treated.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that test samples from infected patients were collected over a period stretching from December 2023 to September 2024.
As a result, Fresh & Ready Foods voluntarily recalled multiple products. These recalled items have “use by” dates ranging from April 22 to May 19, 2025, and were sold under the brand names:
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Fresh & Ready Foods
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City Point Market Fresh Food to Go
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Fresh Take Crave Away
