At least four deaths and 19 hospitalizations have been tied to frozen ready meals contaminated with listeria, according to health officials. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a health alert after pasta meals produced by FreshRealm were sold at Kroger, Walmart, and Trader Joe’s.
The affected products include chicken fettuccine Alfredo meals distributed under the brand names Marketside and Home Chef. These meals, manufactured by New Jersey-based FreshRealm, were recalled in June but remain a concern as they may still be stored in refrigerators or freezers. Health authorities warn that the actual number of impacted individuals could exceed reported cases, as some infections go undiagnosed or unreported.
The outbreak has been traced to beef meatball marinara linguine and chicken fettuccine Alfredo meals. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service recently expanded its public health alert to include additional products, such as Cajun-style blackened chicken breast fettuccine Alfredo from Trader Joe’s and linguine with beef meatballs from Walmart.
Walmart confirmed it removed the affected items from stores and is collaborating with suppliers to investigate the contamination. FreshRealm stated tests detected listeria in the linguine product, with the source traced to pasta supplied by a third party. Trader Joe’s did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
FreshRealm urged consumers to destroy or return recalled products, emphasizing its commitment to food safety while cooperating with ongoing investigations. Health officials advise anyone with the affected meals to discard them immediately.