WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a nationwide public health alert for ready-to-eat pasta meals that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The alert, announced September 25, was updated the following day to include an additional product and label details.
The affected items include:
- Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce (12-oz. packages) sold at Walmart, with “best if used by” dates of Sept. 22, Sept. 24, Sept. 25, Sept. 29, Sept. 30, and Oct. 1, 2025. The packages bear establishment numbers “EST. 50784” or “EST. 47718” inside the USDA inspection mark.
- Trader Joe’s Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettuccine Alfredo (16-oz. packages) with “best if used by” dates Sept. 20, Sept. 24, or Sept. 27, 2025. The packages display establishment number “P-45288” inside the USDA inspection mark.
The alert stems from an ongoing investigation into a Listeria outbreak linked to chicken fettuccine alfredo meals earlier this year. Testing confirmed that linguine pasta used in these products was positive for Listeria monocytogenes. Federal officials are working with the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and state health agencies to determine if the strain is genetically related to the outbreak.
Listeria can cause serious illness, especially in older adults, people with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women. Infections may lead to fever, muscle aches, gastrointestinal issues, and, in severe cases, miscarriage, stillbirth, or life-threatening complications for newborns. FSIS urges anyone in high-risk groups who develops flu-like symptoms within two months of eating these products to seek medical care.
Consumers are advised not to eat the meals and to discard them or return them to the place of purchase. FSIS is concerned that some packages may still be in refrigerators or freezers nationwide.
For questions about the alert, consumers can contact Nate’s Fine Foods at 916-677-7303 during business hours. General food safety questions can be directed to the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854 or emailed to MPHotline@usda.gov.
