In July 2021, CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) investigated a multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections.

Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback data showed that frozen, fully cooked chicken products supplied by Tyson Foods Inc. made people sick.

Three people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes were reported from two states (Texas - 2 cases) and Delaware (1 case). Illnesses started on dates ranging from April 6, 2021, to June 5, 2021. Sick people ranged in age from 60 to 95 years, with a median age of 89, and 66% were male. All three people were hospitalized, and one death was reported from Texas.

USDA-FSIS and state partners collected food purchase records from the long-term care facility and hospital to determine the source of the fully cooked chicken products served. USDA-FSIS also identified the two facilities that produced the fully cooked chicken products found to contain the outbreak strain during routine testing. USDA-FSIS found that the Tyson facility in Dexter, Missouri, produced one of the products that tested positive for the outbreak strain, supplied product to another firm where a positive sample was collected, and distributed fully cooked chicken products to the long-term care facility and the hospital. USDA-FSIS found the outbreak strain of Listeria in two samples of fully cooked chicken products during routine product testing.

On July 3, 2021, Tyson Foods Inc. recalled approximately 8,955,296 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken products. Additional products made with Tyson Foods Inc. chicken were recalled on July 8 and July 13, 2021.

The outbreak was declared over on September 10, 2021.