As of December 17, 2019, a total of seven people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes have been reported from five states. In interviews, ill people answered questions about the foods they ate and other exposures in the month before they became ill. Of the five people for whom information was available, four reported eating products containing eggs. Three of these people reported eating hard-boiled eggs in deli salads purchased from grocery stores and in salads eaten at restaurants. Illnesses started on dates ranging from April 10, 2017 to November 12, 2019.

Additionally, based on whole-genome sequencing, the Listeria monocytogenes found in environmental samples collected at the firm’s processing facility during an FDA inspection conducted in February 2019 is a genetic match to the outbreak strain.  FDA is conducting additional inspections and sampling.  Almark Foods has been cooperating with the ongoing investigation and announced a voluntary recall of hard-boiled and peeled eggs in pails on December 20, 2019.

This outbreak strain was found during environmental sampling in 2017 of one other food facility. That facility is not currently handling food and ceased operation in 2018.

Almark Foods is expanding its voluntary recall first announced on December 20, 2019, to include all hard-boiled eggs manufactured at the firm’s Gainesville, Georgia facility, including all retail, pillow pack, pouch pack, frozen diced, and protein kit products, due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, a Listeria monocytogenes infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

On December 18, 2019 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration notified Almark Foods that the company’s Hard-Boiled and Peeled eggs in pails manufactured at the Gainesville facility may be associated with a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak that has been linked to several reported illnesses and one reported death. A more recent FDA sample from the facility also matched the outbreak strain, suggesting the possibility that the strain may have remained present in the facility.

Trader Joe’s announced Monday it is recalling its brand name Egg Salad in 6-ounce cups and its brand name Old Fashioned Potato Salad in 20-ounce trays. They have use-by dates up to and including Dec. 27, 2019.

Almark Foods has announced a recall of 76 items distributed nationwide, which you can see the full list of at this link. They were sold under multiple brand names including 7 Select, Almark Foods, Best Choice, CMI, Dairy Fresh, Deb-El, Egglands Best, Everyday Essentials, Farmers Hen House, Food Club, Fresh Thyme, Giant Eagle, Great Day, Great Value, Inspired Organics, Kirkland Signature, Kroger, LIDL, Lucerne, Members Mark, Naturally Better, Nellie’s, O Organics, Peckish, Pete & Gerry’s, Rainbow Farms, Rembrandt Foods, ShopRite, Simple Truth Organics, Sunshine, Vital Farms, and Wild Harvest.

The Almark recall includes all product packaged for the retail market manufactured at its Gainesville plant that remains within shelf life. This includes product with “Best If Used By” dates up through March 2, 2020.

Almark is voluntarily expanding its recall to include all product packaged for the retail market manufactured at its Gainesville plant that remains within shelf life. This includes product with “Best If Used By” dates up through March 2, 2020. Almark has also temporarily suspended all production at its Gainesville plant.

The affected product can be identified by viewing the printed “Best If Used By” date coding on the product package. If the “Best If Used By” code starts with the prefix “G”, the product was manufactured at the company’s Gainesville, Georgia facility and is subject to this recall. Products with the prefix “N” or “Y” are not subject to this recall. For Protein Kit products, consumers are advised to check the code on the actual egg package within the kit.

Brand Product
7 Select 2 Count Hard-Cooked Eggs w/salt/pepper
Almark Foods Classic ProBox Mini
Almark Foods Smokehouse PRoBox Mini
Almark Foods Barbecue Probox Mini
Almark Foods Classic ProBox
Almark Foods Smokehouse ProBox
Almark Foods Barbecue ProBox
Almark Foods 12 Count Hard-Cooked Eggs
Almark Foods Hard-Cooked Eggs – 5# Bag
Almark Foods 1 Count Hard Cooked Eggs
Almark Foods 2 Count Hard Cooked Eggs
Almark Foods Cage Free Hard-Cooked Eggs – 5# Bag
Almark Foods Cage Free 1 Count Hard Cooked Eggs
Almark Foods Organic 12 Count Hard-Cooked Eggs
Almark Foods Red Beet 2 Count Hard-Cooked Eggs
Almark Foods Cage Free 2 Count Hard-Cooked Eggs w/salt/pepper
Almark Foods Cage Free 2 Count Hard-Cooked Eggs
Almark Foods Cage Free 6 Count Hard-Cooked Eggs
Almark Foods Cage Free 12 Count Hard-Cooked Eggs
Almark Foods 2 Count Hard-Cooked Eggs w/salt/pepper
Almark Foods 6 count Hard-Cooked eggs
Almark Foods Three 2 counts in Clamshell Hard Cooked Eggs
Almark Foods Organic 2 Count Hard-Cooked Eggs
Almark Foods 12 Count Cage Free Hard-Cooked Eggs
Best Choice Three 2 counts in Clamshell Hard Cooked Eggs
CMI 12 Count Hard-Cooked Eggs
CMI 12 Count Hard-Cooked Eggs
Dairy Fresh Great Value 6 Count Stand-Up Pouch Hard-Cooked Eggs
Dairy Fresh 2 Count Hard-Cooked Eggs
Deb-El Deb-El 12 Count Hard-Cooked Eggs
Egglands Best 6 Count Stand up Pouch Cage Free Hard Cooked Eggs
Egglands Best Egglands Best Hard-Cooked Eggs – 5# Bag
Egglands Best 1 count Egglands Best Hard Cooked Eggs
Egglands Best Egglands Best Cage Free Hard-Cooked Eggs – 5# Bag
Egglands Best 2 Count Egglands Best Eggs w/salt/pepper
Egglands Best 12 Count Stand up Pouch Hard Cooked Eggs
Egglands Best 10 Count Stand up Pouch Hard Cooked Eggs
Egglands Best 6 Count Stand up Pouch Hard Cooked Eggs
Egglands Best 2 Count Egglands Best Eggs
Egglands Best 6 Count Stand up Pouch Organic Hard Cooked Eggs
Everyday Essentials 6 Count Hard-Cooked eggs
Farmers Hen House 6 Count Stand up Pouch Hard Cooked Eggs
Food Club Food Club 6 Count Stand-Up Pouch Hard-Cooked Eggs
Fresh Thyme Fresh Thyme 6 Count Hard-Cooked Eggs
Fresh Thyme Fresh Thyme 2 Count Hard-Cooked Eggs
Giant Eagle Giant Eagle 6 Count Stand-Up Pouch Cage Free Hard-Cooked Eggs
Great Day 2 Count Hard Cooked Eggs
Great Day 6 Count Hard-Cooked eggs
Great Value Great Value 6 Count Stand-Up Pouch Hard-Cooked Eggs
Inpsired Organics 6 Count Stand up Pouch Organic Hard Cooked Eggs
Inpsired Organics 2 Count Organic Hard-Cooked Eggs
Kirkland Signature 2 count Organic Hard-cooked Eggs
Kroger Three Cage Free 2 counts in Clamshell Hard Cooked Eggs
LIDL LIDL 6 Count Stand-Up Pouch Hard-Cooked Eggs
Lucerne Lucerne 6 Count Stand-Up Pouch Cage Free Hard-Cooked Eggs
Members Mark Jack’d Protein Snack
Naturally Better 6 Count Stand-Up Pouch Cage Free Hard-Cooked Eggs
Nellie’s 2 Count Nellie’s Hard-Cooked Eggs
O Organics 2 Count Organic Hard-Cooked Eggs w/Salt/Pepper
O Organics 6 Count Stand up Pouch Organic Hard Cooked Eggs
Peckish Two 1 Counts boxed Hard Cooked Eggs–With Dip
Peckish 1 Count Hard-Cooked Eggs
Pete & Gerry’s 6 Count Stand up Pouch Organic Hard Cooked Eggs
Pete & Gerry’s 2 Count Organic Hard-Cooked Eggs
Rainbow Farms Rainbow Diced Egg – 5# Bag
Rainbow Farms 12 Count Hard-Cooked Eggs
Rainbow Farms Rainbow Farms Hard-Cooked Eggs – 5# Bag
Rembrandt Foods Rembrandt Diced Egg – 5# Bag
Rembrandt Foods 12 Count Cage Free Hard-Cooked Eggs
ShopRite ShopRite 6 Count Stand-Up Pouch Cage Free Hard-Cooked Eggs
Simple Truth Organics 6 Count Organic Hard-Cooked Eggs
Sunshine 2 Count Hard-Cooked Eggs w/salt/pepper
Vital Farms Vital Farms Pasture Raised Hard-Cooked Eggs – 5# Bag
Vital Farms Three Boxed 2 Counts Pasture Raised Hard-Cooked Eggs
Vital Farms 2 Count Pasture Raised Hard-Cooked Eggs w/salt/pepper
Wild Harvest 6 Count Organic Hard-Cooked Eggs

The products were distributed nationwide.

Additional Information:

About Listeria – a complete online resource for Listeria information

Listeria Informational Video

Family Health Guide About Listeria infection, or Listeriosis (pdf)

Listeria Litigation

Listeria:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of Listeria outbreaks. The Listeria lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of Listeria and other foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $700 million for clients.  Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our Listeria lawyers have litigated Listeria cases stemming from outbreaks traced to a variety of foods, such as deli meat, cantaloupe, cheese, celery and milk.

If you or a family member became ill with a Listeria infection after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark Listeria attorneys for a free case evaluation