Two ready-made meals from HelloFresh may be contaminated with Listeria, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) warned in a public health alert issued Monday.
The spinach in the subscription-based meals tested positive for the bacteria, which can cause serious or potentially life-threatening illness if consumed.
Here’s what you need to know.
The public health alert impacts two ready-to-eat products:
- HelloFresh Ready Made Meals Cheesy Pulled Pork Pepper Pasta, 10.1 oz.; with establishment number “Est. 47718” and lot code 49107, or establishment number “Est. 2937” and lot code 48840
- HelloFresh Ready Made Meals Unstuffed Peppers With Ground Turkey, 10 oz.; with establishment number “P-47718” and lot codes 50069, 50073, or 50698
Both products were shipped directly to HelloFresh customers and were not sold in stores.
FSIS issued the public health alert after FreshRealm, the producer of the affected meals, notified the agency that the spinach in the products tested positive for Listeria.
Listeria infections are uncommon, but they can be deadly—especially in older adults, the immunocompromised, and pregnant people and their newborns.
So far, no illnesses have been reported in connection with the affected products.
If you’re a HelloFresh customer, check to see if your ready-made meals are affected by the public health alert. If they are, do not eat them—throw them away.
If you think you’ve eaten a contaminated meal, monitor for symptoms of Listeria, including:
- Fever
- Muscle aches
- Headache
- Stiff neck
- Confusion
- Loss of balance
- Convulsions
- Diarrhea
Contact a healthcare provider if you experience symptoms, which typically begin within two weeks of eating contaminated food.
