Albertsons Companies has initiated a recall of several deli products due to potential listeria contamination, shortly after federal health officials issued warnings regarding certain pasta meals sold at major retailers like Walmart and Trader Joe’s. The Boise, Idaho-based supermarket chain announced the recall on Saturday, indicating that the affected items contain an ingredient—bowtie pasta—produced by Nate’s Fine Foods, which has previously been recalled.
The recall affects five deli products ordered from Fresh Creative Foods, the distributor of refrigerated goods. Customers are advised to refrain from consuming these items, which include ready-to-eat basil pesto pasta salads and various pasta dishes featuring chicken, spinach, and other ingredients. Shoppers can verify whether their purchased items are affected by checking the product names, sell-through dates, and other relevant details on Albertsons’ website.
These recalled products were distributed across various Albertsons-owned stores, including Albertsons Market, Safeway, and Vons, spanning more than a dozen states. Albertsons emphasized that listeria monocytogenes can survive under refrigeration, posing a risk of cross-contamination with other foods. The company also urged consumers to meticulously clean any surfaces or containers that may have been in contact with the recalled products, in accordance with guidelines from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Despite the recurrence of these health risks, Albertsons reported that there have been no known illnesses or injuries linked to their recalled products. However, their decision to pull items from the shelves comes during an ongoing cautionary period from U.S. health officials regarding the potential for listeria in ready-made meals from other retailers. Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture warned against consuming Trader Joe’s “Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettuccine Alfredo” with certain best-by dates, as well as Walmart’s “Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce,” which also had dates indicated for potential contamination.
Despite no formal recall being issued for these specific meals, both Trader Joe’s and Walmart have taken steps to address the concerns by advising customers to discard or return the affected products. Notably, the pasta used in these meals from both retailers is also sourced from Nate’s Fine Foods.
Listeria infections can lead to severe illnesses, particularly among vulnerable populations, including older adults, individuals with compromised immune systems, and pregnant women. Symptoms may manifest as fever, muscle aches, headaches, stiff necks, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 1,600 people in the U.S. are affected by listeria each year, resulting in around 260 fatalities.
