Madison Kwiecinski – Editor-in-Chief

mvk5945@psu.edu

The food group “Fresh Ideation” has recalled over 400 products this week, several of which were sold in PA specifically by Amrtack trains on busy regular routes. The potentially contaminated food all has sell-by dates ranging from Jan. 31 to Feb. 6

According to the CDC, an estimated 1,600 people get listeriosis every year, and of that nearly 260 die per year from the illness. Last year, a listeria outbreak linked to cheeses and deli meats was responsible for one death, one loss of pregnancy, and at least 16 other cases of illness. 

Additionally, another outbreak last year occurred in a Florida based ice cream company, which killed one person and sickened at least 22 other individuals. 

Fresh Ideation is a Baltimore based food group that sells a variety of products running from breakfast to lunch food and carrying everything from sandwiches to fruit cups and salads. 

In Pennsylvania, Amtrak has stated they sold these products on several of the trains busy routes. Products were sold on the trains from Jan. 24-29. 

Among the routes which sold the infected products are the busy and popular Acela and Northeast Regional trains. One of those is Philadelphia based, while the other more popular stop is located in Bucks County. 

“We immediately stopped serving these products and promptly removed them from our trains upon notification,” Amtrack released in an email sent to customers. “All products currently served onboard are completely safe to consume.”

Amtrack also asked customers to dispose of any of the products they may have purchased on their trains during the previously mentioned dates. 

Fresh Ideation has claimed that the recall is fully routine, and that while monitoring the facility it showed the possibility of Listeria being present. 

The company has stated that, “In an abundance of caution, we have recalled all products made at the time of this finding.” 

Listeria typically has a symptom onset time of approximately two weeks after ingestion of the bacteria. Symptoms of this illness may include, but are not entirely limited to, fever, muscle aches, vomiting, and diarrhea according to the CDC. 

Listeria is most likely to affect those who are over the age of 65, those with weakened immune systems, or pregnant women and their newborns. 

Listeria outbreaks are more common in the food supply then one would expect. In addition to the two previously mentioned outbreaks in the U.S., the most recent one prior to Fresh Ideation occurred in Dec. 2021. Fresh Express, a company which sells prepackaged salads recalled some of its products after a sample tested positive for Listeria. In this case, Fresh Express was responsible for one death, ten illnesses, and ten hospitalizations. 

In the case of Fresh Ideation’s product, it was delivered to several other states as well. Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia.  In addition to Amtrak trains, these products were sold in some retail locations and vending machines. 

To date, the CDC has reported no cases of Listeria in association with this positive sample or the products from Fresh Ideation.