In the news

The FDA, USDA FSIS, and the CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, are investigating illnesses in a multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to prepared meals. On October 9, 2025, Sprouts Farmers Market announced a voluntary recall of select lots of smoked mozzarella pasta salad sold from the deli service counter or Grab & Go section at Sprouts stores in the following states: AL, AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, KS, LA, MD, MO, NC, NJ, NM, NV, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, and WY. Product was distributed starting on 8/31/25 through 10/7/25. As of September 25, 2025, a total of 20 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria have been reported from 15 states (CA, FL, IL, IN, LA, MI, MN, MO, NC, NV, OH, SC, TX, UT, and VA). Of the 13 people interviewed, 7 (54%) reported eating precooked meals, and 4 specifically reported eating chicken fettuccine alfredo. Of 20 people with information available, 19 have been hospitalized, and 4 deaths have been reported. There is one illness in a pregnant mother that resulted in a fetal loss.  @ https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-listeria-monocytogenes-prepared-pasta-meals-june-2025?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

The FD reported that Sprouts Farmers Market of Phoenix, AZ, is recalling selected lots of Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad sold from the deli service counter or Grab & Go section due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The recall is being initiated after the supplier, Fresh Creative Foods, alerted the company to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination in the pasta used in the salad. No illnesses have been reported to date. Product was distributed to Sprouts stores in AL, AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, KS, LA, MD, MO, NC, NJ, NM, NV, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, and WY. Product was distributed starting on 8/31/25 through 10/7/25. The Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad was packaged in plastic containers and sold from the Grab & Go section or packed directly from the deli service counter. @ https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/sprouts-farmers-market-recalling-smoked-mozzarella-pasta-salad-because-possible-health-risk

Scientist from Italy published in Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(10), 1478;an article entitled 

“Open Data Are Urgently Needed for One Health-Based Investigations: The Example of the 2024 Salmonella Umbilo Multi-Country Outbreak”. They reported that in 2024, a significant Salmonella Umbilo outbreak was reported across the European Union and beyond. It was traced to contaminated vegetables originating from the Province of Salerno (Italy). Subsequent on-site inspections in the production area revealed a mismanaged manure storage tank. Within a 1-km radius, encompassing both the manure tank and the contaminated greenhouses, three buffalo farms were identified. Farm inspections revealed buffalo calves exhibiting enteric symptoms. Fecal samples collected from these animals led to the genomic isolation of S. Umbilo, which is linked to the 2024 multi-country outbreak, as well as other serotypes. The work represents a milestone in epidemiological investigations at the human–animal–environment interface. It strongly advocates for the creation of open-access databanks to support cross-sectoral research, an essential step toward effectively addressing public health emergencies that would otherwise remain unresolved. It highlights the critical limitations imposed by the absence of open-access data, which are indispensable for comprehensive analyses of public health events. It emphasizes the need for developing advanced informatics tools to integrate heterogeneous databases from distinct sectors. These sectors are conventionally considered isolated but are interconnected by the ability of pathogens to cross artificial human-imposed boundaries. @ https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22101478

The FDA reported that Raw Bistro Pet Fare (Cannon Falls, MN)recalled two product sizes of its frozen beef dog food because they may be contaminated with Salmonella. The product was distributed directly to consumers and to select distributors between September 1 and September 17, 2025, in California, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota. The products are sold frozen in sealed packaging. The products are Raw Bistro Dog Fare Grass-Fed Beef Entrée, Frozen – 3 lb bags (UPC 858833002247) Lot 239, Best By 08/27/2026, and Raw Bistro Dog Fare Grass-Fed Beef Entrée, Bulk, Frozen 18 lb cases (UPC 858833002629) Lot 239, Best By 08/27/2026. Both products have a “Best By” date of 08/27/2026. The contamination was identified after an FDA-collected sample from a distributor tested positive for Salmonella. To date, no illness of pets or humans related to this lot has been reported. @ https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/raw-bistro-pet-fare-voluntarily-recalls-frozen-beef-entree-because-possible-salmonella-health-risk