A public health alert has been issued around specific frozen pasta meals sold at Trader Joe’s and Walmart stores nationwide due to potential contamination with listeria bacteria previously linked to a deadly outbreak this summer.
In an announcement on Thursday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture warned consumers to steer clear of Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce sold at Walmart in clear, 12-ounce plastic trays.
The linguine products have best-by dates of Sept. 22, 24, 25, 29, 30 and October 1 of this year and may still be in consumers’ refrigerators. The Walmart linguine bears establishment numbers “EST. 50784” and “EST. 47718” on the USDA inspection label.
The following day, the FSIS updated the alert to include Trader Joe’s Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettuccine Alfredo, sold in 16-once plastic trays with best-by dates of September 20, 24 and 27 of this year. The Trader Joe’s frozen meals are marked P- 45288 inside the USDA inspection mark.
“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 on its website.
While no official recall has been issued, nor reported illnesses related to the two products, the USDA warned that meals may be contaminated with the same strain of listeria found in a separate chicken fettuccine Alfredo product sold at Walmart that has killed four people and sickened at least 20.
FreshRealm, the company that produces the linguine sold at Walmart, ran tests on the product that confirmed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes, and further testing was needed to determine if it’s genetically related to the outbreak strain.
“FreshRealm held beef meatball marinara linguine meals after they tested positive for the outbreak strain,” the CDC said in its update on Friday.
The CDC states that listeria infections can cause serious illness, and can be especially harmful to pregnant women, people over 65, or those with weakened immune systems. Symptoms typically start within two weeks of eating contaminated food and can include fever, muscle aches, fatigue, headaches, and convulsions among others.
If you have the meals in your refrigerator or freezer, the USDA advises to throw them out immediately or return them. Trader Joe’s is offering a full refund for the pasta.