At least 10 people have been hospitalized with a deadly food-borne illness tied to to-go sandwiches, according to an ongoing federal investigation.

FDA investigators found listeria on company equipment at a factory run by Fresh & Ready Foods, based out of San Fernando in California.

According to the Daily Mail, over 80 different products have been pulled, including sandwiches, pastas, and snack boxes.

They were sold or provided in hospitals, hotels, corporate offices, convenience stores, airports, and airlines.

The products, which are sold under the brand names Fresh & Ready Foods, City Point Market Fresh Food to Go, and Fresh Take Crave Away, are best-buy dates from April 22 to May 19.

The CDC and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first flagged the outbreak in 2024 through hospital admissions and public health data, with the most recent case reported in January 2025.

However, the source remained elusive until April 2025, when routine testing at a Fresh & Ready Foods facility revealed listeria strains on production equipment that genetically matched the outbreak strain.

Whole genome sequencing (WGS) confirmed the link, prompting swift action from federal and state health officials.

Fresh & Ready Foods has recalled 86 products, including sandwiches, pasta dishes, and snack boxes, sold under brand names such as Fresh & Ready Foods, City Point Market Fresh Food to Go, and Fresh Take Crave Away.

These items, with “Use By” dates ranging from April 22 to May 19, 2025, were distributed across four states and served in various settings, including:

• Hospitals

• Hotels

• Corporate offices

• Convenience stores

• Airports

• Airlines

Of the six patients interviewed by health officials, all were hospitalized, and at least three had consumed the recalled products at facilities such as hospitals, hotels, or corporate offices.

The wide distribution of these products highlights the potential for further cases, as listeria can survive and spread in refrigerated environments, making it particularly challenging to eliminate in food processing facilities.