Ready-to-eat delivery meals recently got 16 people sick with salmonella, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a food safety alert.

The outbreak sickened three people each in California and Missouri, two each in Georgia and Minnesota, and one in Arkansas, Connecticut, Illinois, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin, the CDC said Friday. Seven of the people were hospitalized.

The outbreak is linked to four products delivered by Metabolic Meals, which offers dishes that need only be reheated. Out of 12 people the CDC interviewed, 10 said they ate a Metabolic Meals product before getting sick.

The meals were delivered during the week of July 28.

The Metabolic Meals products the CDC linked to the outbreak are: four-cheese tortellini with lot code 25199 and a best-by date of Aug. 7, chicken and teriyaki vegetables with lot code 25202 and a best-by date of Aug. 5, black garlic and ranch chicken tenders with roasted vegetables with lot code 25205 and a best-by date of Aug. 8, and sliced top sirloin with sauce and vegetables with lot code 25203 and a best-by date of Aug. 6.

Products with the lot code 25204 were also part of the outbreak, the CDC said.

Metabolic Meals, the agency said, is “collaborating with investigators and has reached out to customers directly who purchased the meal types listed above to inform them of the outbreak.”

Metabolic Meals has not responded to a request for comment.

Symptoms of salmonella start within six hours to six days after eating contaminated food and include cramps, nausea, diarrhea containing blood or mucus, headaches, vomiting and loss of appetite, the CDC said.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.