More pasta products contaminated with Listeria have come to light, with the outbreak causing multiple deaths and hospitalizations across the US.
Supermarket chain Giant Eagle has recalled packages of its smoked mozzarella pasta salad because of potential listeria contamination.
The announcement comes alongside a nationwide recall of ready-to-eat pasta, which was produced by California-based Nate’s Fine Foods.
The ready-to-eat product was sold in Giant Eagle and Market District locations in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Indiana.
The containers of smoked mozzarella penne salad came in small and large sizes with expiration dates marked as September 30 through October 3 and October 7.
The CDC has issued a health warning over pasta meals sold at multiple retailers, including Walmart, Trader Joe’s and Kroger, after four people died and 19 were sent to hospitals across 15 states.
One pregnancy-associated illness also resulted in a fetal loss.
The listeria outbreak has been traced to pasta produced by Nate’s Fine Foods, which is used by a number of companies as an ingredient in the meals they produce.
Supermarket chain Giant Eagle has recalled pots of its smoked mozzarella pasta salad because of potential listeria contamination
The ready-to-eat product was sold in Giant Eagle and Market District locations in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Indiana
Among the meals impacted are beef meatball, marinara linguine and chicken fettuccine alfredo meals made by New Jersey-headquartered FreshRealm. These were distributed and sold by Walmart and Kroger across the US.
California Ranch Food Company used the same pasta from Nate’s Fine Foods to produce a Trader Joe’s product, Cajun blackened chicken fettuccine alfredo, while Albertsons recalled a bowtie pasta meal made by Fresh Creative Foods.
While all of the compromised products have been recalled and are no longer on sale, health officials fear they could still be in home refrigerators or freezers.
It is believed that the true number of people impacted by the outbreak is likely higher than the number reported, as many cases are undiagnosed.
Health officials say this is because some people recover without medical care and are not tested for Listeria.
In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported, as it usually takes three to four weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.
The deaths occurred in Illinois, Michigan, Texas and Utah, and the CDC notes that ‘this outbreak may not have been limited to the states with known illnesses.’
The FDA warns that consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns.
The ‘contaminated’ ready-to-eat meal comes in a 12-ounce clear plastic tray and bears establishment numbers ‘EST. 50784’ and ‘EST. 47718’ inside the USDA inspection mark
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Thursday that Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce, sold at Walmarts nationwide, tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes (file photo)
Symptoms include high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
In more serious cases, it can cause confusion, loss of balance and convulsions if it spreads to the nervous system.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on September 25 that Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce, sold at Walmart stores nationwide, tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes.
The ready-to-eat meal comes in a 12-ounce clear plastic tray and bears the establishment numbers ‘EST. 50784’ and ‘EST. 47718’ inside the USDA inspection mark.
Affected products have best-by dates of September 22, 24, 25, 29, 30, and October 1, 2025, according to the warning.
On Friday, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) expanded the alert to include Trader Joe’s Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettuccine Alfredo.
The frozen meal is sold in 16-ounce trays with establishment number ‘P- 45288’ and best-by dates of September 20, 24, and 27 this year.
Trader Joe’s said stores in California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah may be affected.
‘We are issuing this guidance in an abundance of caution because testing of another brand with a shared ingredient source indicated this product may have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes,’ Trader Joe’s said in a statement on its website.
The CDC also added a range of chicken fettuccine alfredo meals that were distributed to retail locations nationwide to the alert.
These were sold under the Marketside brand and the Home Chef brand at Walmart and Kroger stores.
The CDC also added a range of chicken fettuccine alfredo meals that were distributed to retail locations nationwide to the alert
Establishment number ‘EST. P-50784,’ ‘EST. P-47770,’ or ‘EST. P-47718’ appears on the label in the USDA mark of inspection, with the best-by dates being June 27, 26, 19, or prior.
These meals were sold in the refrigerated section and assembled for microwaving.
FreshRealm, the company that manufactures the pasta meals, said tests confirmed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in its products.
A spokesman for the firm said: ‘We have long maintained that the source of the listeria was likely an ingredient supplied by a third party.’
The ‘contaminated’ ingredient is believed to be linguine pasta sourced from Nate’s Fine Foods of Roseville, California, according to the FSIS warning.
As part of the investigation, FreshRealm tested for and detected the source of the listeria in the pasta.
Tests confirmed contamination with Listeria, and further analysis is underway to determine if the strain is genetically linked to the earlier outbreak.
A spokesperson for the company FreshRealm told Daily Mail: ‘Whole genome sequencing confirmed what we had long suspected: the Listeria outbreak strain traced back to an ingredient supplied by a third party. We now know the source was cooked pasta. It has been directly linked to the strain of Listeria found in the outbreak.
‘FreshRealm promptly shared these results with USDA, FDA and the CDC and will continue to work closely with these agencies.’
The USDA has since confirmed that the meals may contain the same listeria strain associated with a June 2025 outbreak tied to chicken fettuccine Alfredo sold at Walmart and Kroger stores.
That outbreak resulted in four deaths and at least 20 reported illnesses.
On Friday, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) expanded the alert to include Trader Joe’s Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettuccine Alfredo (pictured)
Trader Joe’s said stores in California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah may be affected
The frozen meal is sold in 16-ounce trays with establishment number ‘P- 45288’ and best-by dates of September 20, 24, and 27, 2025
Listeria can contaminate everything from raw vegetables, unpasteurized dairy and deli meats, and is behind about 47 recalls every year.
According to the CDC, about 1,600 people contract listeriosis each year in the US, and approximately 260 die.
In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn.
In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics.
Federal officials are now urging consumers not to eat the affected meals.
‘Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase,’ the FSIS warning states.
Walmart has removed the affected meals from its stores, following guidance from FreshRealm earlier this week.
Trader Joe’s is offering full refunds to customers who purchased the impacted fettuccine Alfredo.
The FSIS says more products could be identified as the investigation continues and is advising consumers to monitor updates on its website.
