Listeria in nutritional shakes traced to city facility.
Investigators suspect nutritional shakes manufactured by a Prairie Farms Dairy Inc. facility in Fort Wayne are responsible for a listeria outbreak that has killed 12.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are investigating the outbreak connected to frozen supplemental shakes that were sold to institutional settings, including long-term care facilities. The shakes from brands Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial were recalled Saturday, according to the FDA website.
The strain of Listeria monocytogenes has caused 38 illnesses reported from 21 states, according to the FDA. Of those, 37 people have been hospitalized, and as of Monday 12 people have reportedly died.
The FDA completed an on-site inspection, which included collecting environmental and product samples from Prairie Farms in Fort Wayne. Listeria monocytogenes was found on three environmental swabs from the processing area, the FDA said.
Matt McClelland, CEO of Prairie Farms, said consumers’ safety and well-being is important to the company.
The local plant at 3400 Lima Road employed more than 100 people before it expanded its current facility by 22,500 square feet in 2018.
“I am deeply concerned by the reports of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to nutritional shakes, and my heart goes out to those affected,” he said in a statement. “In response to the FDA and CDC investigation, we have initiated a voluntary recall of the nutritional shakes produced at our Fort Wayne facility. We have ceased production of the recalled products, and our internal teams are working tirelessly to review our production processes and food safety protocols.”
The investigation started in November after the FDA was notified of the outbreak that infected many people living in long-term care facilities.
The ongoing outbreak includes cases as old as 2018, and about half of cases – 20 – were in 2024 or this year, the FDA said.
Most cases – 34 – were reported by people living in long-term care facilities or who had been hospitalized before becoming sick.
Investigators were previously unable to identify the outbreak’s source by using epidemiologic evidence, the FDA said.
Symptoms of listeria infections typically start within two weeks of eating contaminated food. However, symptoms may start the same day or up to 10 weeks later, according to the website.
Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, nausea, tiredness, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions.
Distributors and customers should not sell or serve the frozen supplemental shakes, and surfaces or containers that touched the possibly contaminated product should be cleaned and sanitized, the FDA says.
People who suspect they have a listeria infection should contact their health provider.
The investigation is ongoing, and more information is expected to be provided as it becomes available.
More information, including the specific items recalled, is available online at tinyurl.com/bdsw3322.
You can now read the most important #news on #eDairyNews #Whatsapp channels!!!
🇺🇸 eDairy News INGLÊS: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaKsjzGDTkJyIN6hcP1K
