Trader Joe’s and Walmart Frozen Meals Pulled After Deadly Listeria Outbreak
A public health alert has been issued for frozen precooked pasta meals that may be contaminated with listeria, according to the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The frozen meals from Walmart and Trader Joe’s are linked to an outbreak which has killed four people and spread to 15 states, as per the CDC‘s latest update.
Here are the exact items sold that are linked to the outbreak—if you have these in your freezer they should not be consumed.
Sold at Walmart: 12-oz. clear plastic tray packages labeled “Marketside Linguine With Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce” with “best if used by” dates SEP 22, 2025; SEP 24, 2025; SEP 25, 2025; SEP 29, 2025; SEP 30, 2025; and OCT 01, 2025. The product bears establishment number “EST. 50784” or “EST. 47718” inside the USDA mark of inspection.
Sold at Trader Joe’s: 16-oz. plastic tray packages labeled “Trader Joe’s Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettucine Alfredo” with “best if used by” dates 9/20/2025, 9/24/2025, or 9/27/2025 printed on the front label of the packaging. The product bears establishment number “P- 45288” inside the USDA mark of inspection.
Two of the new listeria cases are in California and one is in Utah, while previous cases were in Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Nevada, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia.
Meal manufacturer FreshRealm recalled its chicken fettuccine Alfredo meals in June 2025, sold at Walmart and Kroger under the brand names Marketside and Home Chef (Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Fettuccine 12.3 oz, Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Fettuccine 32.8 oz, and Home Chef Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo 12.5 oz). The products have since been pulled from shelves and customers are advised to return or destroy the frozen meals.
“FreshRealm remains committed to the highest standards of food safety and is working closely with the Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide full transparency and access throughout the process,” the company said at the time.
Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.
The FSIS is urging anyone who may have purchased or consumed these items to be careful. “FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase,” the agency says. “Consumers with questions regarding the public health alert can contact Nate’s Fine Foods at 916-677-7303. Operating hours are between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. PST Monday through Friday.”
