This brings the day's total to three renowned delivery services, with the produce items affected also growing in number.
Following this morning’s news that HelloFresh had been flagged for spinach-containing items in its ready-to-eat line for listeria concerns come two more meal delivery brands on notice for the same reason. Tuesday evening, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) published an advisory stating customers nationwide should beware of products containing riced cauliflower for possible listeria concerns. “The problem was discovered when FreshRealm notified FSIS that the riced cauliflower used in these products tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes,” the notice reads.
FreshRealm is the same maker licensing meal subscription products to HelloFresh as well as Blue Apron and Martha Stewart’s Marley Spoon, the two companies that reportedly distributed the riced cauliflower in question. The FSIS reports that no adverse events have been reported and that an official recall is not being executed since the items are no longer available for purchase.
Products affected are “DISH by Blue Apron Cheesy Chicken Mac with Vegetables” with lot numbers 25240 and 25247 (bearing established number P-3081), and “BALANCE by Marley Spoon BBQ Sauce Beef Meatballs with Cheesy Cauliflower” lot number 25255, with establishment code 47718. Expiration dates for the products aren’t clear.
“Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them,” instructs the FSIS. “These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.” They further advise that “Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider.” Concerns may also be reported to the FSIS and FreshRealm contacts in the above FSIS link.
As we recently explained, listeria is unlike many other food poisoning-related microbes as it can spread even among cold environments. The number of recalls and public health alerts issued for listeria this year exceeds the volume from recent years. If you’re asking why listeria concerns are suddenly so prevalent, we’ve previously noted that food safety regulations and inspection processes grew more rigorous starting around 2020. Further, explained Forbes in late 2024, “an increasing reliance on pre-packaged, cold storage items in the food supply is leading to more listeria contamination.” Perhaps the more quick and convenient lunch and dinner get, the more conscious we should be of possible risks.
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