WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a public health alert late Monday for two ready-to-eat meals from HelloFresh, warning that spinach in the products may be contaminated with listeria, a bacteria that can cause serious illness.
The alert applies to specific 10-ounce and 10.1-ounce containers of HelloFresh’s Cheesy Pulled Pork Pepper Pasta and Unstuffed Peppers with Ground Turkey. The meals are produced by FreshRealm Inc. and shipped directly to consumers.
Officials said the spinach, supplied by Sno Pac Foods, tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, prompting the voluntary notification from FreshRealm to the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.
No illnesses have been reported in connection with the meals, and the products are no longer available for purchase. However, the agency urged anyone who may still have the items in their refrigerators or freezers to throw them away immediately.
The following products are subject to the public health alert:
- 10-oz. containers of “HELLO FRESH READY MADE MEALS UNSTUFFED PEPPERS WITH GROUND TURKEY” with establishment number “P-47718” and lot codes 50069, 50073, or 50698. This item was shipped directly to consumers by HelloFresh.
- 10.1-oz. containers of “HELLO FRESH READY MADE MEALS CHEESY PULLED PORK PEPPER PASTA” with establishment number “Est. 47718” and lot code 49107 or establishment number “Est. 2937” and lot code 48840. This item was shipped directly to consumers by HelloFresh.
HelloFresh emphasized in a statement that its standard meal kit subscriptions are not impacted by the alert, which only covers these ready-made options. The company said it has contacted customers who bought the affected meals to inform them of the issue.
Listeria infection, or listeriosis, can be particularly dangerous for older adults, pregnant women, newborns and people with weakened immune systems. Symptoms often include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions, sometimes following diarrhea or other stomach problems. In pregnant individuals, it can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth or premature delivery. The infection is treatable with antibiotics, but officials stress prevention is key.
This alert is separate from other ongoing listeria investigations, including one involving pre-cooked pasta products. The USDA said it anticipates identifying additional affected products as the investigation continues.
Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.
