FSIS did not request a formal recall because the affected meals were no longer available for purchase when the alert was issued in October 2025. No confirmed adverse reactions were reported, but consumers who still had the meal at home were advised to discard it or return it to the place of purchase.
Quick Facts
- Product: BALANCE by Marley Spoon BBQ Sauce Beef Meatballs with Cheesy Cauliflower
- Identification: 10.5-ounce package, lot code 25255, Est. 47718
- Hazard: Riced cauliflower tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes
- Status: USDA public health alert; no formal recall because product was no longer for sale
Latest BALANCE by Marley Spoon Health Alert Developments
April 2026
April 27, 2026 – FreshRealm Inc., the prepared-meal manufacturer identified in the 2025 USDA alert, filed a voluntary Chapter 11 petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey. FreshRealm has also been identified as a manufacturing and fulfillment partner for Marley Spoon’s U.S. operations.
[1]
The bankruptcy proceeding is a corporate restructuring matter. It does not establish that FreshRealm, Marley Spoon, or another party is legally responsible for an illness involving the affected meal.
October 2025
October 7, 2025 – USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a public health alert for ready-to-eat meals made by FreshRealm that contained riced cauliflower potentially contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The alert included BALANCE by Marley Spoon BBQ Sauce Beef Meatballs with Cheesy Cauliflower, lot code 25255.
[2]
October 7, 2025 – FreshRealm notified FSIS after the riced cauliflower tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. FSIS reported no confirmed adverse reactions and said the meals were not linked to an ongoing outbreak investigation based on the evidence then available.
[2]
What Is the BALANCE by Marley Spoon Health Alert?
The alert concerns BALANCE by Marley Spoon BBQ Sauce Beef Meatballs with Cheesy Cauliflower, a 10.5-ounce ready-to-eat meal manufactured by FreshRealm.
The affected product carries lot code 25255 and USDA establishment number Est. 47718. The public health alert was issued because riced cauliflower used in the meal tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes.
Why Was the Marley Spoon Meatball Meal Included?
FreshRealm notified FSIS after testing identified Listeria monocytogenes in riced cauliflower used in the meal. The same ingredient was also used in another FreshRealm prepared meal sold under the Blue Apron brand.
FSIS issued the alert because affected meals could still have remained in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers even after they were no longer available for purchase.
Was the BALANCE by Marley Spoon Meal Recalled?
No formal recall was requested. FSIS explained that the affected products were no longer available for purchase when the public health alert was issued.
The absence of a formal recall did not mean the product could safely be eaten. Consumers who still had an affected meal were instructed to discard it or return it to the place of purchase.
How Can Consumers Identify the Affected Meal?
- Brand: BALANCE by Marley Spoon
- Product: BBQ Sauce Beef Meatballs with Cheesy Cauliflower
- Package size: 10.5 ounces
- Lot code: 25255
- Establishment number: Est. 47718
Consumers should use the lot code and establishment number to identify the affected meal. Other BALANCE by Marley Spoon products were not necessarily included in this specific alert.
Were Any Illnesses Reported?
FSIS reported no confirmed adverse reactions associated with consumption of the affected products when it issued the alert.
The agency also stated that the products were not associated with an ongoing outbreak investigation based on the evidence available at that time.
What Is Listeria monocytogenes?
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that can cause listeriosis, a potentially serious foodborne infection. It is especially concerning because it can survive and grow at normal refrigerator temperatures.
[3]
Pregnant women, newborns, adults age 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems face an increased risk of severe illness.
What Are the Symptoms of Listeriosis?
CDC states that invasive listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, fatigue, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and seizures. Symptoms often begin within about two weeks after eating contaminated food.
[4]
Intestinal illness can cause diarrhea and vomiting and may begin within about 24 hours. Anyone who develops concerning symptoms after eating the affected meal should contact a healthcare provider.
Why Is Listeria Dangerous During Pregnancy?
Pregnant women may experience only mild symptoms even when listeriosis poses serious risks to pregnancy. CDC warns that infection can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection in a newborn.
[4]
Pregnant women who ate the affected meal and develop fever or other symptoms should promptly contact their healthcare provider.
Why Can Refrigerated Foods Present a Listeria Risk?
Listeria can survive and grow at refrigerator temperatures. This makes contamination of refrigerated ready-to-eat foods a particular concern.
[3]
FDA recommends keeping refrigerators at 40°F or below and cleaning surfaces that may have contacted contaminated food.
What Should Consumers Do With the Affected Meal?
FSIS advised consumers not to eat the affected BALANCE by Marley Spoon meal. It should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
Consumers should also clean refrigerator shelves, containers, countertops, or other surfaces that may have contacted the food.
Who May Be Affected?
Consumers who purchased BALANCE by Marley Spoon BBQ Sauce Beef Meatballs with Cheesy Cauliflower bearing lot code 25255 may have received an affected meal.
People who ate the product and later developed a laboratory-confirmed Listeria infection may want to preserve packaging, purchase records, medical records, and laboratory results.
What Evidence May Matter in a BALANCE by Marley Spoon Claim?
- The product package or photographs of the label
- Lot code 25255
- Establishment number Est. 47718
- Marley Spoon order or payment records
- Medical records documenting illness
- Laboratory results identifying Listeria
- Information showing when the meal was eaten
Foodborne-illness claims often require evidence connecting the affected food with a medically documented infection. Product identification, timing, and laboratory results can therefore be important.
Who May Be Liable for a Listeria-Contaminated Meal?
Potential liability depends on the facts and applicable law. Manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, processors, distributors, and sellers may potentially be evaluated when contaminated food allegedly causes an injury.
Possible claims may involve negligence, defective food products, breach of warranty, or other state-law theories. The USDA alert itself does not establish liability against FreshRealm, Marley Spoon, an ingredient supplier, or another company.
Current BALANCE by Marley Spoon Lawsuit and Health Alert Status
The October 2025 FSIS action was a public health alert rather than a formal recall because the affected meals were no longer available for purchase.
FSIS reported no confirmed adverse reactions and did not identify the affected meals as part of an ongoing outbreak investigation when the alert was announced.
FreshRealm later entered Chapter 11 proceedings in April 2026. That corporate restructuring does not determine liability for any alleged foodborne illness.
Do I Qualify for a BALANCE by Marley Spoon Claim?
- Did you eat BALANCE by Marley Spoon BBQ Sauce Beef Meatballs with Cheesy Cauliflower from lot 25255?
- Did you later develop symptoms consistent with listeriosis?
- Were you diagnosed with Listeria or treated for a serious foodborne illness?
- Can you document the meal, purchase, diagnosis, or medical treatment?
Answering yes to one or more questions does not automatically establish a lawsuit. An attorney can review the product identification, exposure history, medical evidence, laboratory testing, and applicable filing deadlines to determine whether further investigation may be appropriate.
Legal Process for a BALANCE by Marley Spoon Claim
- Free case review. An attorney reviews the affected meal, exposure history, illness, and available records.
- Investigation. Evidence may include packaging, order records, medical records, laboratory findings, and USDA food-safety information.
- Filing. If the evidence and applicable law support a claim, a foodborne-illness lawsuit may be filed against one or more potentially responsible parties.
- Discovery/negotiation. The parties may exchange records, obtain testimony, consult medical or food-safety experts, and discuss possible resolution.
- Resolution. A case may conclude through settlement, dismissal, court ruling, or trial depending on its facts and procedural history.
Compensation in a Listeria Foodborne Illness Case
Depending on the circumstances, a claim may seek damages for hospitalization, medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, pregnancy-related losses, and other damages permitted under applicable law.
Compensation amounts vary by case. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
Important BALANCE by Marley Spoon Health Alert Developments
| Event |
Month/Year |
Type |
Status |
Source |
Notes |
| FreshRealm Chapter 11 Filing |
April 2026 |
Corporate Proceeding |
Filed |
[1] |
Manufacturer entered restructuring |
| Marley Spoon Meal Health Alert |
October 2025 |
USDA Public Health Alert |
Product no longer sold |
[2] |
Riced cauliflower tested positive |
| Adverse Reaction Status |
October 2025 |
FSIS Incident Data |
None confirmed |
[2] |
No confirmed reactions |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the BALANCE by Marley Spoon BBQ Sauce Beef Meatballs lawsuit?
The BALANCE by Marley Spoon BBQ Sauce Beef Meatballs lawsuit topic concerns potential individual claims involving the affected meal and possible Listeria exposure. USDA issued a public health alert after riced cauliflower used in the product tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes.
Was the BALANCE by Marley Spoon meal recalled?
No formal recall was requested because the product was no longer available for purchase. FSIS nevertheless issued a public health alert because consumers could still have affected meals at home.
Which BALANCE by Marley Spoon meal is affected?
The affected product is the 10.5-ounce BBQ Sauce Beef Meatballs with Cheesy Cauliflower meal. The package carries lot code 25255 and establishment number Est. 47718.
Why was the meal included in the health alert?
FreshRealm notified FSIS after riced cauliflower used in the product tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. The alert does not state that every package was contaminated.
Were illnesses reported from the Marley Spoon meal?
FSIS reported no confirmed adverse reactions associated with the products when the alert was issued. It also stated that the meals were not linked to an ongoing outbreak investigation based on evidence then available.
What symptoms can Listeria cause?
Symptoms can include fever, muscle aches, fatigue, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and seizures. Pregnant women may have relatively mild symptoms while still facing serious pregnancy complications.
What should I do if I still have the affected meal?
Do not eat it. FSIS instructed consumers to discard the meal or return it to the place of purchase.
Can I file a BALANCE by Marley Spoon BBQ Sauce Beef Meatballs lawsuit?
A consumer who developed a medically documented Listeria infection after eating the affected meal may warrant individual legal review. A public health alert does not itself establish liability, and any claim depends on exposure evidence, diagnosis, causation, damages, and applicable law.
Do I Have a BALANCE by Marley Spoon Lawsuit?
If you or a loved one developed a serious Listeria infection after eating affected BALANCE by Marley Spoon BBQ Sauce Beef Meatballs with Cheesy Cauliflower, you may have legal options. Contact Schmidt & Clark for a free case review.
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References
[1] https://www.bkalerts.com/recent-bankruptcy-cases/new-jersey-bankruptcy-court/2%3A26-bk-14656/bankruptcy-case-freshrealm-inc
[2] https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/fsis-issues-public-health-alert-ready-eat-meals-containing-riced-cauliflower-may-be
[3] https://www.fda.gov/food/foodborne-pathogens/listeria-listeriosis
[4] https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/signs-symptoms/
