The Food and Drug Administration issued an alert stating that it is investigating a deadly outbreak of listeria illnesses linked to frozen supplemental shakes.

According to the FDA, there have been 11 deaths and 37 hospitalizations associated with Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial frozen supplemental shakes. These shakes are commonly sold to hospitals and long-term care facilities.

The FDA reported that it was notified in November that the shakes may have been making nursing home residents sick. Some cases linked to this outbreak may date back to 2018. The FDA has confirmed that 20 of the illnesses were connected to the shakes in 2024 and 2025.

The FDA collected environmental samples and found the outbreak strain of listeria in the drinks.

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Cases have been reported in 20 states, according to the FDA.

According to Sysco, Lyons supplied Sysco with the shakes from a facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Sysco then distributed these products to facilities throughout the U.S.

Sysco stated that it has stopped the distribution of affected products and has notified customers regarding the recall.

“Sysco expresses our most sincere condolences to those affected by this outbreak and their families. Food safety is and will continue to be our top priority, and our focus will always be on improving programs that protect our customers and our communities from foodborne illnesses,” the company said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that listeria symptoms usually occur 1 to 4 weeks after consuming contaminated food but can start as soon as the same day or up to 70 days later. Listeria can cause those infected to experience symptoms such as headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, in addition to fever and muscle aches, according to the CDC. Pregnant individuals can face severe complications, including miscarriage, premature delivery, and life-threatening infections in newborns.

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