A deadly outbreak of food poisoning with Listeria has been linked to pre-cooked pasta ingredients in a variety of foods sold at Walmart, Trader Joe’s, Kroger, Albertsons, Sprouts, and more.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Pasta Listeria food poisoning cases in all 50 states. If you got sick after eating prepared meals that were recalled at Walmart, Kroger, Trader Joe’s, Albertsons, or other stores for Listeria, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Food Poisoning Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
UPDATE: 6 Deaths Linked to Listeria in Pre-Cooked Pasta Meals
As of October 30, 2025, prepared meals containing pre-cooked pasta have been linked to an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes with 27 illnesses confirmed in 18 states, including 25 people who were hospitalized and 6 people who died.
Pasta Listeria Outbreak Began in 2024
The people in this outbreak got sick between August 2024 and October 2025, with the most recent illness on October 16, 2025, according to the CDC Outbreak Investigation. The true number of sick people is likely much higher than the confirmed case-count, and people may have gotten sick in additional states.
Where Did People Get Sick?
Health officials in 18 states have reported illnesses in this Listeria outbreak, including:
- California
- Hawaii
- Florida
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Louisiana
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Nevada
- Ohio
- Oregon
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- Washington
Pasta Recalls Continue to Expand
In September and October 2025, health officials expanded the recalls after more products with pre-cooked pasta ingredients tested positive for the same strain of Listeria in the deadly outbreak earlier this year.
On October 30, 2025, the FDA Outbreak Investigation was updated to include more products that were recalled due to Listeria.
The pasta supplier, Nate’s Fine Foods, Inc., expanded their recall for pre-cooked pasta, fettucine, linguine, and farfalle (bowtie), after a sample of linguine pasta collected and tested by FreshRealm tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes.
What is Listeria?
Listeria is a bacteria that can survive on foods that are microwaved, refrigerated, and frozen. It spreads in contaminated food, soil, water, and feces.
This Listeria outbreak may expand to include more products with pre-cooked pasta, including “heat-and-eat” meal trays, store-made deli pasta salads, and other products with fettuccine, linguine, bowtie (farfalle), and penne pasta.
Pasta Products Recalled Due to Listeria
The recalled products include (but may not be limited to):
- Sprouts Farmers Market – Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad – Grab & Go (UPC 2-15786-00000, Use by Dates from 10/10/25 – 10/29/25) and Deli Service Counter (UPC 2-15587-00000, and Use by Dates from 10/10/25 – 10/29/25)
- Kroger Deli Pasta Salads – Basil Pesto Bowtie Salad and Smoked Mozzarella Penne Salad
- Giant Eagle Smoked Mozzarella Penne Pasta Salad
- Scott & Jon’s Shrimp Scampi with Linguini Bowls 9.6-oz – best if used by dates of 3/12/2027, 3/13/2027, 3/17/2027, 3/21/2027 (recall announced by Demers Food Group)
- Walmart Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Fettuccine
- Trader Joe’s Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettuccine Alfredo
- Kroger Home Chef Heat & Eat Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
- Albertsons Stores Recall Store-Made Deli Pasta Salads
An overview of recalls related to this outbreak is available on the FDA’s Major Product Recalls page. Additional recalls will be added to this page if and when they are available.
What Products Were Recalled?
As of October 1, 2025, the recalls expanded to include the following prepared meals at Trader Joe’s, Kroger, and Walmart:
- Walmart — MARKETSIDE GRILLED CHICKEN ALFREDO WITH FETTUCCINE (Tender Pasta with Creamy Alfredo Sauce, White Meat Chicken and Shaved Parmesan Cheese) — 32.8-oz. tray packages with best-by date 06/27/25 or prior.
- Walmart — MARKETSIDE GRILLED CHICKEN ALFREDO WITH FETTUCCINE (Tender Pasta with Creamy Alfredo Sauce, White Meat Chicken, Broccoli and Shaved Parmesan Cheese) — 12.3 oz. tray packages with best-by date 06/26/25 or prior.
- Kroger — HOME CHEF Heat & Eat Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo (with pasta, grilled white meat chicken, and Parmesan cheese) — sold in 12.5 oz. tray packages with best-by date 06/19/25 or prior.
- Walmart — Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce 12-oz. — best if used by dates of Sept. 22, 2025; Sept. 24, 2025; Sept. 25, 2025; Sept. 29, 2025; Sept. 30, 2025; and Oct. 1, 2025; establishment number “EST. 50784” or “EST. 47718”; sold at Walmart
- Trader’s Joe’s Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettuccine Alfredo (16-oz. plastic tray packages) with “best if used by” dates 9/20/2025, 9/24/2025, 9/27/2025, 9/28/2025, 10/01/2025, 10/03/2025, 10/05/2025, 10/08/2025, or 10/10/2025 printed on the front label of the packaging. The product bears establishment number “P- 45288” inside the USDA mark of inspection.
- Albertsons Store-Made Deli Items Containing Bowtie Pasta Supplied by Fresh Creative Foods
- Giant Eagle Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad – Sold starting on September 25, 2025 at Giant Eagle and Market District grocery stores in western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland and Indiana.
- Kroger Basil Pesto Bowtie Salad and Smoked Mozzarella Penne Salad – Product was sold in the following states: AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, GA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MI, MO, MS, MT, NE, NM, NV, OH, OR, SC, TN, TX, UT, WA and WV at the Kroger Family of stores, including: Kroger, Baker’s, City Market, Dillons, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, Gerbes, King Soopers, Payless, Ralphs and Smith’s.
Walmart’s Recalled Pasta Linked to Deadly Listeria Outbreak
On September 29, 2025, the FDA Outbreak Update reported that Walmart’s Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs meal tested positive for the same strain of Listeria that caused a deadly outbreak of illnesses earlier this year. It is the same strain that was detected in Walmart’s Marketside Chicken Alfredo Meals that were recalled on June 17, 2025 due to the deadly outbreak of Listeria.
USDA Issues Health Alert for Listeria in Pasta Meals
On September 25, 2025, the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a Public Health Alert for microwaveable prepared meals containing FreshRealm pasta that may be contaminated with Listeria.
FreshRealm’s Previous Recall for Chicken Alfredo at Walmart, Kroger
FreshRealm pasta was also used in previously-recalled Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo Meals that were sold at Walmart and Kroger stores nationwide. These meals are all past expiration and produced before June 17, 2025.
The recall included the following products:
- Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Fettuccine 12.3 oz – best-by date of June 26, 2025, or prior
- Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Fettuccine 32.8 oz – best-by date of June 27, 2025, or prior
- Kroger Home Chef Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo 12.5 oz – best-by date of June 19, 2025, or prior – Establishment number “EST. P-50784,” “EST. P-47770,” or “EST. P-47718” appears on the label in the USDA mark of inspection.
Health Officials Concerned About Deadly Outbreak
FreshRealm has been testing pasta and other ingredients in their products since June 2025, after a deadly outbreak of Listeria was linked to Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo meals that were recalled at Walmart and Kroger grocery stores nationwide in the U.S. in June 2025.
How Many People Got Sick?
According to the CDC Outbreak Investigation, at least 20 illnesses in 15 states, including 4 deaths, were linked to the FreshRealm pasta ingredient in Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo meals since 2024.
The victims include 19 people who were hospitalized due to a severe or life-threatening illness. There was also one pregnant woman who was infected and suffered a fetal death.
The CDC also cautioned that the true number of sick people is likely much higher than the official case-count, and the states may not be limited to the 15 states where illnesses were confirmed.
What is FreshRealm?
FreshRealm produces prepared meals at many grocery stores. These pre-made meals are fully-cooked, but sold in the refrigerated section and intended to be microwaved before being eaten. The products are sold under many brand-names, including store-brand names like Walmart’s Marketside® brand, Kroger’s Home Chef® brand, and more.
Food Poisoning With Listeria
The problem is that Listeria bacteria may not be killed on food that has been microwaved, and it can survive on food in refrigerators or freezers.
People who eat food that is contaminated with Listeria can get sick up to 2 months after eating the food. Anyone can develop a serious illness, but Listeria is particularly dangerous for older adults, people with weak immune systems, and pregnant women.
Some of the severe health risks include invasive infections that spread beyond the digestive system to the brain or spinal cord (meningitis) and blood infections (sepsis).
Women who are infected with Listeria during pregnancy may have no symptoms, or only a mild illness, but suffer a miscarriage, premature delivery, stillbirth, or life-threatening infection of the newborn baby.
Do I Have a FreshRealm Pasta Listeria Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting FreshRealm Pasta Listeria food poisoning cases in all 50 states. If you got sick after eating a refrigerated meal that was recalled at Walmart, Kroger, or Trader Joe’s for Listeria, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Food Poisoning Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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