US-based Prairie Farms Dairy has ceased production of nutritional shakes linked to a listeria outbreak that has claimed the lives of 11 people.
Prairie Farms Dairy’s 4oz Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial frozen supplemental shakes have been recalled amid suspicions that contaminated products are linked to the outbreak. The products are distributed to hospital patients and long-term care residents throughout the US by foodservice business Lyons Magnus.
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The recall is being conducted by the companies and regulator the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). According to a statement from the FDA, there have been 38 illnesses associated with the strain of listeria monocytogenes that may have contaminated these products, including 11 deaths.
The listeria outbreak, linked to a Prairie Farms Dairy facility in Fort Wayne in Indiana, is the subject of an investigation by the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC said the infections spanned 21 states. Some cases date back to 2018 but 20 of the cases occurred in 2024 and 2025.
Some 34 of those who became sick were living in long-term care facilities or were hospitalised before becoming sick. The products were not on sale in the retail channel.
Lyons Magnus said as soon as it learned of the issue it took action to halt the purchase of all products from the affected Prairie Farms Dairy facility, notify customers and ensure impacted products were removed from distribution.
In a statement sent to Just Food, Prairie Farms Dairy CEO Matt McClelland said:
“At Prairie Farms, the safety and well-being of our consumers is of the utmost importance. I am deeply concerned by the reports of listeria monocytogenes infections linked to nutritional shakes and my heart goes out to those affected.
“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. We are fully cooperating with federal, state, and local authorities.”
Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems.
