Question – with Listeria and Salmonella Outbreaks growing, are the dedicated employees at FDA and CDC being paid to inform and protect us?

Honestly, I have no idea if the good folks at FDA and CDC are being paid to keep the public aware, but they should be, and are thanks if they are or if they are not.

Listeria Outbreak

Note: Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback data show that certain meals produced by FreshRealm are contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and are making people sick. Pasta from Nate’s Fine Foods was an ingredient in FreshRealm beef meatball marinara linguine meals. This pasta tested positive for Listeria and whole genome sequencing Pasta used in the meal tested positive for Listeria. Whole genome sequencing results show the Listeria in the pasta is the same strain making people sick.

Since the last update on September 25, 2025, a total of 7 new illnesses and 3 new states have been reported, with 2 additional deaths reported, one each from Hawaii and Oregon. 

A total of 27 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria have been reported from 18 states. California 3, Hawaii 2, Florida 1, Illinois 1, Indiana 1, Louisiana 2, Michigan 2, Minnesota 1, Missouri 1, North Carolina 1, Nevada 1, Ohio 1, Oregon 3, South Carolina 1, Texas 3, Utah 1, Washington 1.

Sick people’s samples were collected on dates ranging from August 1, 2024, to October 16, 2025. Of 26 people with information available, 25 have been hospitalized and 6 deaths have been reported. One death from each of the following states: Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, Oregon, Texas, and Utah. One pregnancy-associated illness resulted in a fetal loss.

Recalls:

• Sprouts Farmers Market Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad – product use by dates 10/10/25 – 10/29/25 (Sprouts Farmers Market recall)
• Giant Eagle smoked mozzarella pasta salad – expiration dates 9/30/25 through 10/7/25 (Giant Eagle recall) 
• Kroger stores recalled deli bowtie and penne pasta salads – sold on AUG 29 2025 thru OCT 2 2025 (Kroger recall) 
• Scott & Jon’s Shrimp Scampi with Linguini Bowls 9.6-oz – best if used by dates of 3/12/2027, 3/13/2027, 3/17/2027, 3/21/2027 (Demers Food Group Recall)
• Trader Joe’s Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettucine Alfredo 16-oz plastic tray packages with “best if used by” dates of 9/20/2025, 9/24/2025, 9/27/2025, 9/28/2025, 10/01/2025, 10/03/2025, 10/05/2025, 10/08/2025, or 10/10/2025 (USDA FSIS public health alert)
• Albertsons stores recalled store-made deli pasta salads – sell thru dates from SEP 8 2025 to OCT 4 25 (Albertsons recall)
• Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce 12-oz. – best if used by dates of SEP 22, 2025; SEP 24, 2025; SEP 25, 2025; SEP 29, 2025; SEP 30, 2025; and OCT 01, 2025 (USDA FSIS public health alert)
• Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Fettuccine 12.3-oz – best-by date of June 26, 2025, or prior; and 32.8-oz – best-by date of June 27, 2025, or prior (FreshRealm recall)
• Home Chef Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo 12.5-oz – best-by date of June 19, 2025, or prior (FreshRealm recall)

Salmonella Outbreak

As of October 31, 2025, 11 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella have been reported from 7 states – Florida 2, Kansas 2, Michigan 1, North Carolina 1, New York 1, South Carolina 1, Virginia 3. 

Illnesses started on dates ranging from May 12, 2025 to September 4, 2025. Of 11 people with information available, 3 have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

State and local public health officials are interviewing people about the foods they ate in the week before they got sick. Of the 10 people interviewed, 9 (90%) reported eating powdered dietary supplements. Six of these people reported eating Member’s Mark Super Greens Powder. Three people reported other products containing moringa leaf powder.

Officials in Michigan collected an open container of Member’s Mark Super Greens Powder from an ill person’s home for testing. This sample tested positive for Salmonella. WGS showed that the Salmonella in the supplement powder is closely related to bacteria from sick people.

Officials in Virginia collected an open container of moringa leaf powder from an ill person’s home for testing. This sample tested positive for Salmonella. WGS showed that the Salmonella in the moringa leaf powder is closely related to bacteria from sick people.

FDA conducted a traceback investigation based on what ill people reported eating before becoming sick. Traceback records for organic moringa leaf powder collected from the supply chain for all eight points of sale converged at a direct importer of organic moringa leaf powder sourced from Vallon Farm Direct PVT LTD in India. A single lot of organic moringa leaf powder (lot code VFD/ORG/MORP/L/24 with the best by date (BBD) of November 2027) from Vallon Farm Direct of India can explain all illnesses included in the traceback investigation.

Republished with permission from Bill Marler and Marler Clark. Copyright (c) Marler Clark LLP, PS. All rights reserved.

Source: https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/question-with-listeria-and-salmonella-outbreaks-growing-are-the-dedicated-employees-at-fda-and-cdc-being-paid-to-inform-and-protect-us/