A deadly outbreak of listeria tied to precooked pasta meals has gotten more grim. At least two more people have died from the bacterial disease over the past month, while several more have been hospitalized.
Federal health agencies provided the newest update on the outbreak late last week. In total, there have been six linked deaths and 25 hospitalizations across 18 states. Numerous pasta brands sold in chains nationwide have already been recalled, including those sold at Trader Joe’s and Walmart, though it’s possible there are still more contaminated foods yet to be identified, officials say.
“Public health investigators continue to gather information on what ill people ate before getting sick to determine if additional products are linked to the outbreak,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in its update released on October 30.
Rising tally
Health officials first reported the outbreak in June, though the earliest cases seem to date back to August 2024. Though cases were initially linked to a single brand of ready-to-eat pasta meals, by early October, it became clear that the outbreak affected multiple products sold at stores across the country. The ultimate source of these cases appears to be Nate’s Fine Foods, Inc., a wide-spanning supplier of pasta to retailers (though not directly to customers).
Since the CDC’s previous tally in late September, there have been seven new cases in three states identified, along with two deaths. Yet the true toll of the outbreak is almost certainly larger than reported, since some people will recover without ever seeing a doctor. It also can take up to four weeks for officials to identify whether someone’s illness is connected to the same strain of listeria, further delaying the recognition of cases (the latest reported case was on October 16).
The symptoms of listeria tend to take around two weeks to appear following exposure. They include fever, muscle aches, nausea, tiredness, vomiting, and diarrhea; people with a more severe infection can also experience headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. As is often true with foodborne germs, listeria infections are more dangerous for people with weakened immune systems, the elderly, newborns, and pregnant women. Tragically, at least one woman during this outbreak is thought to have lost her pregnancy as a result of her illness.
What to look out for
Since early October, several more retailers supplied by Nate’s Fine Foods have issued recalls over their potentially tainted pasta products.
Giant Eagle announced a voluntary recall of its “Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad” sold in the prepared foods departments of its Giant Eagle and Market District locations across western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, and Indiana. And Sprouts Farmers Market announced a voluntary recall of select lots of smoked mozzarella pasta salad sold from the deli service counter or Grab & Go section at Sprouts stores in 24 states; these products were sold between August 21 and October 7 of this year.
These products are in addition to the recent recall of Scott & Jon’s Shrimp Scampi with Linguini Pasta Bowls (9.6 oz), which affected products with these best-by dates: 3/12/2027, 3/13/2027, 3/17/2027, and 3/21/2027.
The list of previously recalled products, broken down by retailers, can be seen below.
Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettuccine Alfredo
Best-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
- 10/10/2025
Walmart
- Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce 12 oz.—best if used by dates of SEP 22, 2025; SEP 24, 2025; SEP 25, 2025; SEP 29, 2025; SEP 30, 2025; and OCT 01, 2025.
- Establishment number “EST. 50784” or “EST. 47718” appears on the label in the USDA mark of inspection.
Walmart and Kroger
- 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
- 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.
Albertson’s and Albertson’s-owned stores
Albertson’s pasta salads supplied by Nate’s Fine Foods have also been recalled. The full list of grocery stores where the Albertson’s pasta products have been sold:
- Albertsons
- Albertsons Market
- Amigos
- Andronico’s Community Markets
- Carrs-Safeway
- Eagle
- Pak ‘N Save
- Pavilions
- Market Street
- Randalls
- Safeway
- Tom Thumb
- Vons
Consumers with further questions about the recalled products can contact Nate’s Fine Foods at 916-677-7303 between noon and 7 p.m. ET (9 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time on the West Coast), Monday through Friday. And anyone who believes they might be experiencing a listeria infection should contact their health care provider.
