Check your fridge, because if you’re anything like me, you enjoy a good pasta dish. But the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) recently issued an alert about ready-to-eat pasta meals contaminated with Listeria that has become deadly.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been investigating the Listeria outbreak in pasta meals since June.
The pasta meals are sold at several national retailers, including Albertsons, Walmart, Trader Joe’s, and Kroger. The supplier, Nate’s Fine Foods, is recalling certain lots of its pre-cooked pasta.
The recall came after tests found possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes — a bacteria known to cause serious illness and even death in vulnerable populations.
Tests showed that pasta made by Nate’s Fine Foods contained the same strain of listeria found in another deadly outbreak that has killed four people and sickened 20 since August of last year, including one illness reported in September.
Barbara Kowalcyk, director of the Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition Security at George Washington University, said: “We wouldn’t necessarily think of pasta and listeria going hand in hand. However, once the pasta has been cooked and it’s put into a meal, any ready-to-eat meal is at risk of listeria.”
FreshRealm, a San Clemente company that used Nate’s pasta in its prepared meals, confirmed a genetic match between the samples and the ongoing outbreak.
Separately, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced on October 6, 2025 that FreshRealm meals under the HelloFresh label were affected by a frozen spinach recall: a 10.1-ounce portion of HelloFresh Ready Made Meals Cheesy Pulled Pork Pepper Pasta and 10-ounce containers of HelloFresh Ready Made Meals Unstuffed Peppers with Ground Turkey.
A spokesperson for FreshRealm said in a statement that the listeria strain found in the spinach wasn’t related to any outbreaks and that the company wasn’t aware of any illnesses linked to the spinach.
1. Sprouts – Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad (sold at deli or Grab & Go)
2. Giant Eagle – Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad
3. Kroger – Bowtie & Penne Deli Pasta Salads
4. Scott & Jon’s – Shrimp Scampi with Linguini (9.6 oz)
5. Trader Joe’s – Cajun Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo (16 oz)
6. Albertsons – Store-made Deli Pasta Salads
7. Marketside (Walmart) – Linguine with Meatballs (12 oz)
8. Marketside (Walmart) – Grilled Chicken Alfredo
9. Home Chef – Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo (12.5 oz)
Listeria is naturally found in soil, animal meat, vegetables, fruits and raw substances. They can be brought into food processing plants, where listeria can spread and cause contamination.
Listeria can thrive in unsanitary manufacturing conditions. Contamination typically happens when Listeria from raw ingredients or the environment makes its way onto equipment, surfaces, or into ready-to-eat products.
If cleaning and sanitation are inadequate in food processing plants, equipment, surfaces, and even workers can carry bacteria. If prepared foods, such as pasta meals, deli meats, soft cheese, or other pre-cooked meals, are contaminated after cooking or before sealing, they may carry the bacteria directly to consumers.
When Listeria is brought into processing plants, it can grow and form colonies. Listeria can form a biofilm, which can protect it from sanitizers, making it more difficult to get rid of it.
Ben Chapman, a food safety specialist and professor at North Carolina State University, said materials being brought into processing facilities are a common route of contamination.
Listeria is difficult to track, and outbreaks aren’t often traceable to a single point.
fever, muscle aches, headache, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.
More severe symptoms (especially in newborns, infants, and immunocompromised children):
fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, nausea, and diarrhea.
Less common but more serious symptoms:
Symptoms in high-risk groups:
Pregnant women, newborns, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems may experience more severe symptoms, including: Sepsis (blood infection), Meningitis (inflammation of the brain and spinal cord), and Endocarditis (inflammation of the heart lining).
Note: Symptoms may take several days to weeks to appear after consuming contaminated food.
Seek medical attention immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms:
Fever above 101°F (38.3°C), Severe headache or stiff neck, Confusion or loss of balance, Seizures, and Diarrhea with blood or mucus.
Early diagnosis and treatment with antibiotics are crucial for preventing serious complications from listeria infection.
For basic prevention of listeriosis and other foodborne infections:
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