FDA Investigating Fresh & Ready Foods After Listeria Outbreak Hits California and Nevada

Another Listeria outbreak has been reported, as a large number of food products sold by Fresh & Ready Foods were recalled. The potential for Listeria to cause severe, disastrous symptoms in people is high, and death is not uncommon for especially sensitive populations.

It should come as no surprise that the dozens and dozens of contaminated Ready-to-Eat (RTE) foods sold are nearly all meat, egg, and cheese products, leading to an increased risk of deadly diseases.

Learn more about the Listeria outbreak in California and Nevada, which foods you must avoid, and what to do if you believe you have an RTE product sold by Fresh & Ready Foods.

As always, if you are concerned that you or your loved ones may have been exposed to Listeria — or any potentially hazardous contaminants — consult your primary care doctor immediately.

According to a concerning report published by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), a bevy of Fresh & Ready Foods' RTE products have tested positive for Listeria, causing an outbreak in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Washington state.

Stunningly, according to the FDA report, their products have been distributed to "retailers and food service locations such as hospitals, hotels, convenience stores, airports, and airlines."

On May 11, Fresh & Ready Foods LLC published a company announcement on the FDA website, noting the Listeria contamination for products distributed between April 18 and April 28, with "Use By" dates between April 22 and May 19.

For those counting at home, 86 RTE products were recalled, which is an unfathomable, staggering amount of food products that have been distributed to a critically large number of places.

"Whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis confirmed that the strain of Listeria found at Fresh & Ready Foods, LLC matches the strain of Listeria causing illnesses in this outbreak," per the FDA report. Furthermore, "As of May 9, 2025, a total of 10 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes have been reported from two states. All 10 people have been hospitalized."

As the video above sadly indicates, multiple recent instances of Listeria have been found during food tests, often in products containing deli meat and cheese.

As the Mayo Clinic explains, you can get Listeria by consuming foods contaminated with the Listeria bacteria.

"It can be very serious for pregnant women, people older than 65, and people with weakened immune systems," according to the Mayo Clinic.

Furthermore, the observation of foods commonly recalled due to Listeria in recent memory holds true: "Some foods are more likely to be tainted by the bacteria than others. These include soft cheeses, deli meats, and dairy products that haven't been treated to kill bacteria, called pasteurized," per the Mayo Clinic.

According to The Washington Post, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., consumes unpasteurized milk, aka raw milk.

You should consult your doctor immediately if you suspect your food has been contaminated so that a professional can monitor your symptoms.