Food Safety does not take weekends off.

Fresh Express Salad Listeria Outbreak: A total of 10 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes were reported from eight states. Illnesses started on dates ranging from July 26, 2016, to October 19, 2021. Sick people ranged in age from 44 to 95 years, with a median age of 80, and 60% were female. All 10 people were hospitalized. One death was reported from Pennsylvania.

State and local public health officials interviewed people (or their family) about the foods they ate in the month before they got sick. Of the five people interviewed, four (80%) reported eating packaged salads of various types and two specifically reported eating Fresh Express brand salads. Public health investigators used the PulseNet system to identify illnesses that were part of this outbreak. CDC PulseNet manages a national database of DNA fingerprints of bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses. DNA fingerprinting is performed on bacteria using a method called whole genome sequencing (WGS). WGS showed that bacteria from sick people’s samples were closely related genetically. This suggests that people in this outbreak got sick from the same food.

On December 16, 2021, the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development identified the outbreak strain of Listeria in a bag of Fresh Express Sweet Hearts packaged salad collected from a grocery store during routine sampling. The packaged salad was produced at the Fresh Express facility in Streamwood, Illinois. On December 20, 2021, Fresh Express recalled packaged salads produced at its facility in Streamwood, Illinois.

Old Europe Cheese Listeria Outbreak: A total of six people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria have been reported from six states. Sick people’s samples were collected from August 6, 2017, to August 5, 2022. Sick people range in age from 56 to 83 years, with a median age of 78, and 67% are female. Five people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.

State and local public health officials are interviewing people about the foods they ate in the month before they got sick. Of the five people interviewed, four (80%) reported eating brie or camembert cheese. Most people did not remember the brand of the cheese they ate, but one person reported eating Lidl Premium Brand Brie. Old Europe Cheese is the only manufacturer of Lidl Premium Brand Brie. Public health investigators are using the PulseNet system to identify illnesses that may be part of this outbreak. CDC PulseNet manages a national database of DNA fingerprints of bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses. DNA fingerprinting is performed on bacteria using a method called whole genome sequencing (WGS). WGS showed that bacteria from sick people’s samples are closely related genetically. This suggests that people in this outbreak got sick from the same food.

FDA, with assistance from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, inspected the Old Europe Cheese facility in Michigan and collected samples for testing. WGS showed that the Listeria found in the cooling room is closely related genetically to Listeria from sick people’s samples. This provides more evidence that people likely got sick from eating cheese made by Old Europe Cheese. On September 30, 2022, Old Europe Cheese, Inc. recalled their brie and camembert cheese. The company has also temporarily stopped producing these cheeses.