A listeria outbreak linked to meat products has killed two people and sickened 10 in France.
The Directorate General of Food (DGAL) and Santé publique France have confirmed 12 cases, including seven in January, with positive samples taken between mid-September 2025 and January 23, 2026, but no cases since mid-February. All patients were hospitalized.
Eleven of the patients are over 65 years old, with the average age of patients being 81 years old. Seven are women and five are men. Two deaths were reported in people over 75 years of age with underlying health conditions. Nine patients live in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, while Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Normandie and Nouvelle-Aquitaine have one patient each.
An epidemiological investigation in February identified several patients who had consumed pâté en croûte. Traceability investigations revealed that the products were sold by the Bourg-de-Péage-based company Drôme Ardèche Tradition.
product recall
A factory inspection was carried out and official samples were taken by the Drôme Population Protection Department. Based on the results of this visit, a business suspension order was issued, and the company announced the withdrawal and recall of all products produced at the site.
Analysis by the Pasteur Institute’s National Reference Center (CNR) Listeria confirmed that strains isolated from products produced at the site in March were genetically similar to strains isolated from sick people. This confirms the connection between the patient and the company’s products.
A list of recalled products can be found on the RappelConso website. These include caillettes, pâtés en croûte and other cooked pork dishes sold under the Drôme salaisons or Jules Courtial brands. The item’s code is FR 26.057.001 EU and was sold between January 17 and February 28.
Listeria infections have steadily increased in France since 2021, with 619 cases reported in 2024.
