More recalls linked to Listeria bacteria have occurred, this time affecting chicken fettuccine alfredo products sold at Kroger and Walmart stores, health officials announced this week.
Newsweek reached out to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) via contact form and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) via email on Friday afternoon for comment.
Why It Matters
The recall occurs amid heightened concerns about food safety and the prevalence of foodborne pathogens in ready-to-eat products distributed at major U.S. retailers.
Listeriosis, or Listeria infection, can cause a range of symptoms in infected individuals. For those experiencing less severe infections, symptoms may include fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, which often last between one and three days, according to the FDA.
For more severe and potentially life-threatening infections, symptoms may include headaches, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions.
Western United Fish Company initiated a recall last week on Ahi Tuna Wasabi Poke sold at Costco due to concerns that the green onions used in the product could have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. In June, Walmart and Kroger recalled chicken fettuccine alfredo products, also contaminated with the bacteria.
What To Know
The latest outbreak has been linked to certain heat-and-eat beef meatball pasta meals produced by FreshRealm, a food manufacturer with locations in California, Georgia, and Indiana, and sold at Walmart.
The USDA issued a public health alert on Thursday for Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs and Marinara Sauce, sold in 12-ounce clear plastic trays by FreshRealm, the same company that had to issue a recall in June on chicken fettuccine Alfredo products contaminated with Listeria.
The June outbreak was linked to the deaths of three people and one pregnancy loss, with 16 people across 13 states hospitalized, according to the Associated Press.
Officials detected listeria bacteria in a sample of the chicken fettuccine alfredo products during a routine inspection in March, but the product was destroyed and never distributed. Officials have not identified the source of the further contaminations, and cases continue to be identified through retail shopper records and interviews with infected persons.
The FDA discovered the newest contamination as part of a wider investigation following the June outbreak that was linked to the chicken fettuccine alfredo meals, which found that the linguine pasta in the meatball meal was positive for listeria, with further testing needed to determine if it is the same strain as found in the chicken meals.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has urged consumers to dispose of or return the impacted products, which carry the establishment number EST. 50784 or EST. 47718 inside the USDA mark of inspection.
The products also have a “best if used by” date of SEP 22, 2025; SEP 24, 2025; SEP 25, 2025; SEP 29, 2025; SEP 30, 2025; or OCT 01, 2025.
Consumers with questions regarding the public health alert can contact Nate’s Fine Foods at 916-677-7303. Operating hours are between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. PST Monday through Friday.
What Happens Next
The FDA recommends continued monitoring of product recalls and encourages manufacturers to review sourcing and safety protocols. Updates on the recall will be posted to the FDA’s notification channels and website.
Consumers can track the status of this and any future recalls through official FDA channels.