These are the top 10 foodborne illness outbreaks of 2025. It was a busy year, with illnesses caused by everything from frozen foods to cucumbers. But eggs were the biggest culprit in 2025, causing three of the 10 outbreaks and sickening at least 302 people. Salmonella caused six of the 10 outbreaks. Some of these outbreaks were deadly.
Number 10: Sweet Cream Pastries Salmonella
These mini pastries sickened at least 18 people with Salmonella infections in seven states. The imported sweets sickened people in the states of California, Illinois, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The FDA added the manufacturer to the list of Import Alerts so the pastries could be detained without inspection.
Number 9: Metabolic Meals Salmonella
The ninth largest outbreak was linked to Metabolic Meals, which were obtained through a meal delivery service. The Salmonella in the products sickened at least 21 people in 13 states. Eight people were hospitalized.
The case count by state was: Arkansas (1), California (3), Connecticut (1), Georgia (2), Illinois (2), Minnesota (3), Missouri (3), Mississippi (1), New York (1), Pennsylvania (1), Texas (1), Washington (1), and Wisconsin (1). The patient age range was from 0 to 96 years.
Number 8: Deadly YuShang Listeria Outbreak
YuShang Food ready to eat meat and poultry products caused a deadly Listeria monocytogenes outbreak in 2025 that sickened at least 24 people in nine states, hospitalized 22, and killed three. The case count by state was: California (14), Georgia (1), Illinois (2), Michigan (1), New Jersey (1), Nevada (1), New York (1), Oregon (1), and Tennessee (2).
Eight illnesses were related to pregnancy. One pregnant women got sick and recovered. Three unrelated infants were also sick. Two recovered, and one infant who lived in California died. In California, a mother and her twins were sick, and both infants died. Listeria was not found in one of the infants, so that baby could not be included in the confirmed cases list. In Tennessee, a mother and her infant were sick, and her infant died.
Number 7: Deadly FreshRealm Meals Listeria Monocytogenes
This outbreak sickened at least 27 people in 18 states, hospitalized 25, and killed six. The outbreak investigation has still not been updated since it was announced on October 30, 2025.
The case count by state is: California (3), Hawaii (2), Florida (1), Illinois (1), Indiana (1), Louisiana (2), Michigan (2), Minnesota (1), Missouri (1), North Carolina (1), Nevada (1), Ohio (1), Oregon (3), South Carolina (1), Texas (3), Utah (1), and Washington (1). There are 17 states listed, not 18 as the CDC is claiming. We don’t know what is causing this discrepancy. The people who died lived in Hawaii, Oregon, Illinois, Michigan, Texas, and Utah. One pregnancy-associated illness caused a fetal loss.
Number 6: Deadly Lyons and Sysco Frozen Shakes
Frozen nutritional shakes caused the number six outbreak of the year with Listeria monocytogenes. It sickened at least 42 people in 21 states, hospitalized 41, and killed 14.
The case count by state was: Alabama (1), California (4), Colorado (1), Connecticut (2), Florida (2), Illinois (5), Indiana (3), Maryland (1), Michigan (2), Minnesota (1), Missouri (1), Nevada (1), New York (3), North Carolina (2), Ohio (1), Oklahoma (1), Pennsylvania (1), Tennessee (2), Texas (6), Washington (1), and West Virginia (1)
The patients who died lived in these states: lived in these states: California, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New York, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington. Most people in this outbreak lived in long-term care facilities or were hospitalized before they got sick and were served the shakes in the hospital.
Number 5: ByHeart Infant Formula Botulism Outbreak
This outbreak linked to infant formula sickened at least 51 infants in 19 states. It is still ongoing. All of the babies were hospitalized and treated with BabyBIG®, the FDA-approved treatment for this infection developed by the California Department of Health. And all of ByHeart’s products have been recalled.
The case count by state is: Arizona (5), California (12), Idaho (2), Illinois (2), Kentucky (1), Massachusetts (2), Maine (1), Michigan (1) Minnesota (3), North Carolina (2), New Jersey (1), Ohio (1), Oregon (4), Pennsylvania (1), Rhode Island (1), Texas (8), Virginia (1), Washington (2), and Wisconsin (1). The infants range in age from 16 to 264 days.
Number 4: Vega Farms Eggs Salmonella Outbreak
This outbreak sickened at least 63 people in California. Thirteen people were hospitalized. The eggs were recalled on December 5, 2025. The recalled item is brown shell eggs with handler code 2136. The Julian Date (a 3-digit number from 001 to 365 corresponding to the day of the year) is 328 and before. Consumer packaging is in 1 dozen cartons and 30-egg flats. Foodservice packaging is 15 dozen cases that contain 6 flats of 30 eggs each.
Number 3: Bedner Cucumbers Salmonella Outbreak
Fresh cucumbers sickened at least 69 people in 21 states in 2025; 22 people were hospitalized. Many secondary recalls were issued as part of this outbreak, including products such as salsa, deli salads, veggie trays, subs, wraps, and paninis.
The patient case count per state was: Alabama (1), California (1), Colorado (1), Florida (7), Georgia (10), Illinois (5), Indiana (1), Kansas (1), Kentucky (1), Massachusetts (3), Maryland (1), Michigan (2), Mississippi (1), North Carolina (4), New Jersey (3), New York (4), Ohio (6), Pennsylvania (7), South Carolina (6), Tennessee (1), and Virginia (3).
Number 2: Country Eggs Salmonella
This outbreak, linked to cage free eggs, sickened at least 105 people in 14 states and hospitalized 19. Country Eggs recalled large brown cage-free “sunshine yolks” or “omega-3 golden yolks” eggs on August 27, 2025. The eggs had sell by dates from July 1, 2025 through September 18, 2025.
The case count by state was: Arizona (1), California (82), Florida (1), Georgia (1), Hawaii (1), Iowa (1), Minnesota (4), North Carolina (2), Nebraska (1), New Mexico (1), Nevada (4), New York (2), Pennsylvania (1), and Washington (3). Illness onset dates ranged from January 7, 2025 to August 14, 2025. The patient age range was from 1 to 91 years.
Number 1: Deadly August Egg Salmonella Outbreak
The number one outbreak of 2025 sickened at least 134 people in 10 states, hospitalized 38, and killed one person. This outbreak was short: it was announced on June 6 and declared over on July 10. Most of the patients lived in California.
The case count by state is: Arizona (8), California (109), Colorado (2), Kansas (1), Kentucky (1), Nebraska (2), New Jersey (2), Nevada (4), Utah (1), and Washington (4). The patient age range is from 1 to 90 years. Illness onset dates ranged from February 24, 2025 to June 6, 2025. The person who died lived in California.
If you have been sickened with a food poisoning infection, please contact our experienced attorneys for help with a possible lawsuit at 1-888-377-8900 or text us at 612-261-0856. Our firm represents clients in lawsuits against grocery stores, restaurants, and food processors, and families in wrongful death cases.
