At least six people have died and 27 others have fallen ill in 18 states due to a listeria outbreak linked to recalled pasta meals, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The most recent illnesses were reported as recently as October 16, with two new deaths occurring in Hawaii and Oregon. Previous fatalities were documented in Illinois, Michigan, Texas, and Utah. One case involved a pregnant person whose illness resulted in the death of a fetus.
The source of the outbreak has been identified as precooked pasta produced by Nate’s Fine Foods based in Roseville, California. In September, Nate’s Fine Foods recalled nearly 245,000 pounds of various pasta products such as linguine, fettuccine, and penne that were distributed to manufacturers of ready-to-eat meals and pasta salads. This action followed tests revealing that their pasta contained the same strain of listeria found in chicken fettuccine Alfredo and meatball linguine products implicated in the outbreak. FreshRealm, a company from San Clemente, California that prepared these meals, confirmed the connection using genetic sequencing.
Major grocery retailers including Walmart and Trader Joe’s have issued recalls for several products containing the affected pasta. The CDC advises consumers to check their refrigerators and freezers for any recalled items and either discard them or return them for a refund.
“The CDC is working with state health officials to determine whether sick people ate recalled food or if additional foods may be contaminated with listeria bacteria linked to the outbreak,” according to agency officials. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Department of Agriculture are also participating in ongoing investigations.
Recalled items include Sprouts Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad (best-by dates Oct. 10–29), Giant Eagle smoked mozzarella pasta salad (expiration dates Sept. 30–Oct. 7), Kroger deli bowtie and penne pasta salads (sold Aug. 29–Oct. 2), Scott & Jon’s Shrimp Scampi with Linguini Bowls (best-if-used-by dates March 12–13 and March 17–21, 2027), Trader Joe’s Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettuccine Alfredo (various best-if-used-by dates through Oct. 10), Albertsons store-made deli pasta salads (sell-through dates Sept. 8–Oct. 4), Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce (best-by dates Sept. 22–25; Sept. 29–Oct.1), Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Fettuccine (best-by date June 26 or earlier for some sizes; June 27 or earlier for others), and Home Chef Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo (best-by date June 19 or prior).
Federal authorities continue efforts to identify whether other foods may be contaminated as part of this investigation.
