A salmonella outbreak related to a home-delivery meal service has been reported in at least 10 states, including Illinois, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The outbreak is connected to several ready-to-eat meals from Metabolic Meals.
Among the suspected meals are Four Cheese Tortellini with Pesto Sauce and Grilled Chicken, Low Carb Chicken Teriyaki and Vegetables, Black Garlic & Ranch Chicken Tenders with Roasted Vegetables, and Sliced Top Sirloin with Roasted Peanut Sauce and Summer Vegetables.
A recall for the meals had not been issued as of Tuesday, but Metabolic Meals is said to be contacting customers directly, according to the CDC.
The CDC has provided more specifics on the affected meal varieties, including their lot codes and expiration dates, in an outbreak alert.
According to the CDC’s timeline, the initial cases linked to this outbreak were detected on July 24, and the latest one was identified on August 15.
As of the latest information, 16 individuals have fallen ill, with seven needing hospitalization. The cases span across 10 states: Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.
The CDC highlighted that the actual number of cases might be “considerably higher” since some people recover without seeking medical attention or testing for salmonella, and connecting cases to an outbreak can take up to a month.
The CDC is now urging anyone who may have purchased one of the affected Metabolic Meals to dispose of the products or contact a healthcare provider if experiencing symptoms of salmonella infection after eating one of the meals.
Symptoms of salmonella infections can present up to six days after ingesting contaminated food. Diarrhea, fever, vomiting and stomach cramps are common, and severe symptoms include bloody diarrhea (or diarrhea that lasts for more than three days), fever of over 102 degrees F, frequent vomiting that prevents the ingestion of liquids, and any sign of dehydration.
Those with weakened immune systems, children under 5 years old and adults over 65 years old may experience more severe illness.
