Nursing Home Listeria Deaths Result in Frozen Supplemental Shake Recall

Source of years-long public health crisis has been difficult to determine due to disease incubation period and ages of patients.

Federal health officials have uncovered the cause of a listeria outbreak in nursing homes that dates back to at least 2018, leading to numerous illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shakes recall on February 23, indicating that multiple deaths have occurred at nursing homes due to the affected shakes being contaminated with listeria.

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that causes a form of food poisoning known as listeriosis. In healthy individuals, it typically leads to temporary symptoms, such as fever, headaches, muscle stiffness, nausea and diarrhea. However, the infection poses a severe risk to vulnerable groups, including young children, pregnant women, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems, potentially resulting in life-threatening complications.

Determining the cause of listeriosis infections is often challenging, since symptoms typically manifest up to 10 weeks following initial exposure to the bacterium, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact source of contamination. Moreover, the infection’s more subtle signs, like muscle aches and mild fevers, can easily be confused with symptoms of common age-related conditions, further complicating diagnosis.

Officials indicate that the source of multiple listeria illnesses have been under investigation since 2018, and recent advancements in genome sequencing have now confirmed that samples from the Prairie Farms Dairy manufacturing plant in Indiana are closely related to the strain causing the outbreak, allowing the FDA to establish a definitive link between the contaminated dietary shakes and the ongoing listeria cases.

According to the recall notice, the shake products have been associated with at least 38 illnesses and 12 deaths across a range of states, including Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and West Virginia.

The recall impacts 4 oz. Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shakes, which were sold in a variety of flavors including vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and strawberry banana.

The recalled shakes were manufactured by Prairie Farms Dairy in Fort Wayne, Indiana and were distributed primarily to nursing homes and long-term care facilities across the U.S. by Lyons Magnus.

The top of the recalled shake cartons are marked with a lot code and “Best By Date.” A chart listing all recalled products and corresponding lot codes can be found on the FDA’s official recall notice.

Lyons Magnus has notified customers who have the affected Prairie Farms products in their possession, taken action to stop any further purchase of them, and removed them from further distribution.

The FDA recommends that those who are still in possession of the affected shakes should immediately stop using and separate them from other food items. Those with further questions can visit the Lyons Magnus website at www.lyonsmagnus.com, or email the company at frozenshakerecall@lyonsmagnus.com.