Four people have died and 19 others have been hospitalized after consuming food tied to a listeria outbreak. The contaminated products, linked to Albertsons Companies’ ready-to-eat pasta salads and Trader Joe’s Cajun-style blackened chicken breast fettuccine alfredo, were recalled nationwide.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the outbreak affected 15 states, with 20 confirmed infections as of September 30. Deaths occurred in Illinois, Michigan, Texas, and Utah, including a pregnancy-associated illness resulting in fetal loss. Infections were reported in California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, and Virginia.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) initiated the recall on September 25 after investigating listeria monocytogenes contamination in prepared pasta meals. Albertsons’ pasta salads, sold under the Marketside brand, were distributed in multiple states with best-by dates from September 8 to 29. Trader Joe’s fettuccine alfredo, with best-by dates ranging from September 20 to 27, was available in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. Walmart’s Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce, sold nationwide, had best-by dates through October 1.
The CDC emphasized that the reported numbers reflect known cases and may not capture the full scope of the outbreak. Consumers are urged to check product labels and discard affected items immediately.