HelloFresh meals recalled over possible Listeria contamination in spinach, FSIS warns
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a public health alert for certain HelloFresh ready-to-eat meals produced by FreshRealm, warning that the products may contain spinach contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes (Lm).
FSIS said additional affected products may be identified and that the alert will be updated as new information becomes available.
The recalled products include:
- 10.1-oz. HelloFresh Cheesy Pulled Pork Pepper Pasta — “Est. 47718” (lot 49107) or “Est. 2937” (lot 48840).
- 10-oz. HelloFresh Unstuffed Peppers with Ground Turkey — “P-47718” (lots 50069, 50073, or 50698).
Both products were shipped directly to consumers by HelloFresh.
The issue was discovered when FreshRealm reported that spinach used in the meals tested positive for L. monocytogenes. No illnesses have been reported, but officials urge anyone with concerns to contact a healthcare provider.
Listeria infection can cause serious illness — especially in older adults, pregnant women, newborns, and people with weakened immune systems — and can lead to fever, muscle aches, confusion, and, in severe cases, miscarriage or stillbirth.
FSIS warned that the affected items may still be in home refrigerators or freezers and advised consumers not to eat the products but to throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.
“FreshRealm’s food safety program detected Listeria in individually quick-frozen (IQF) spinach that it uses in prepared meals, supplied by Sno Pac Foods of Minnesota. FreshRealm proactively undertook whole genome sequencing of spinach ingredient samples and the Listeria strain does not match the outbreak first reported in June. Neither FreshRealm nor its customers are aware of any foodborne illness associated with this spinach ingredient,” FreshRealm spokesperson said. “The findings were promptly managed under FreshRealm’s food safety and recall procedures. The corresponding customer and public health agencies were notified along with the ingredient supplier. FreshRealm will continue to collaborate with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Sno Pac Foods and their spinach supplier, Del Mar Foods, will be conducting recalls of their spinach products, and FreshRealm will follow their lead.”
Nothing is more important than the health and safety of our customers and our food safety program is design to safeguard the quality of the meals we produce.
Consumers with questions can contact FreshRealm Customer Service at 1-888-244-1562 or customerservice@freshrealm.com. Food safety questions can be directed to the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854 or MPHotline@usda.gov.
