Federal officials have confirmed a fourth death connected to a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak first identified in June, along with a miscarriage and a growing list of recalled ready-to-eat products. The outbreak has been tied to pre-cooked pasta used in multiple meals sold under major retail brands, including Kroger, Walmart, Trader Joe’s, and Albertsons.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said the outbreak was initially linked to chicken fettuccine dishes recalled three months ago. The agency has since expanded its public health alerts to include additional products, such as Marketside-brand linguine with beef meatballs sold nationwide at Walmart, and Trader Joe’s Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettuccine Alfredo. The affected Trader Joe’s meals, packaged in 16-ounce trays, carried best-by dates of September 20, 24, or 27 and bore establishment number “P-45288.”
Investigators have traced the source of contamination to pre-cooked pasta supplied by Nate’s Fine Foods of Roseville, California. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported that the outbreak has now resulted in 20 confirmed illnesses, 19 of which required hospitalization.
In response, Albertsons Companies announced a voluntary recall of five deli noodle dishes made with bowtie pasta from the same supplier. The recalled items included two chicken-based meals and were distributed across 13 retail chains in states spanning Alaska to Texas. The products carried various September sell-through dates.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as recalls widen and public health alerts remain in effect to prevent further illnesses.
