Federal health officials are cautioning consumers against the consumption of certain ready-to-eat pasta meals available at Walmart and Trader Joe’s due to potential contamination with listeria bacteria, which has been linked to a serious outbreak.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued an updated public health alert detailing specific products at risk. These include:
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Trader Joe’s Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettuccine Alfredo, packaged in 16-ounce plastic trays. The at-risk products have best-by dates of September 20, 24, and 27, and bear the establishment number P-45288 inside the USDA inspection mark.
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Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce, sold in refrigerated 12-ounce clear plastic trays at Walmart. These items have best-by dates ranging from September 22 to October 1 and contain establishment numbers “EST. 50784” and “EST. 47718” on the label. They were distributed to Walmart locations nationwide.
Although no formal recall has been launched, FreshRealm, the food producer responsible for distributing these meals, has advised Walmart to remove the items from store shelves as a precautionary measure. Walmart confirmed that it has ceased sales and will withdraw the affected products from its stores.
The health alert stems from the discovery of listeria in linguine used in the meatball dish, which was confirmed through tests conducted by FreshRealm. Alarmingly, the strain of listeria found matched that of an outbreak previously linked to chicken fettuccine Alfredo sold at Walmart and Kroger stores, resulting in four fatalities and a reported 20 illnesses as of September 26.
FreshRealm stated that the source of the listeria contamination is likely related to an ingredient procured from a third party. The implicated pasta is produced by Nate’s Fine Foods, based in Roseville, California; however, the company has not yet responded to inquiries regarding the situation.
Listeria infections pose significant health risks, particularly for older adults, individuals with compromised immune systems, and pregnant women, including their newborns. Symptoms of listeria infection can manifest as fever, muscle aches, headaches, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 1,600 cases of listeria are reported each year in the United States, leading to around 260 fatalities. In response to recent outbreaks, including one linked to Boar’s Head deli meats that claimed 10 lives and resulted in over 60 illnesses, federal officials announced plans in December to enhance listeria prevention protocols.
