Federal health officials have issued a sweeping warning to consumers across the United States after a deadly Listeria outbreak was linked to popular ready-to-eat pasta meals sold at Walmart and Trader Joe’s. The alert, announced on September 30, 2025, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety & Inspection Service (FSIS), has sent shockwaves through communities, especially in Virginia and several other states where the products were widely distributed. The contaminated meals, which may still be lurking in refrigerators and freezers, have been tied to an outbreak that has already killed four people and sickened at least 20 others nationwide, according to NBC Chicago.
The spotlight of the alert falls on two specific products: Trader Joe’s Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettuccine Alfredo, sold in 16-ounce plastic trays, and Walmart’s Marketside Linguine With Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce, sold in 12-ounce clear plastic trays. The affected Trader Joe’s meals have “best if used by” dates of September 20, September 24, or September 27, 2025, and carry the establishment number “P-45288” inside the USDA mark of inspection. The Walmart meals, meanwhile, have “best if used by” dates of September 22, 24, 25, 29, 30, and October 1, 2025, with establishment numbers “EST. 50784” or “EST. 47718,” as detailed by Patch and confirmed in the USDA’s public health notice.
While the FSIS has not formally issued a recall, the urgency of the situation is clear. FreshRealm, the food producer responsible for distributing the affected products, advised Walmart to pull the meals from store shelves. Walmart officials acted swiftly, halting sales and removing the products. Trader Joe’s, for its part, posted an advisory on its website urging customers to discard the Cajun Style Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo or return it to their local store for a full refund. "We are issuing this guidance in an abundance of caution because testing of another brand with a shared ingredient source indicated this product may have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes," Trader Joe’s explained in its statement, as reported by NBC Chicago. The company added that, so far, no illnesses from the products sold at Trader Joe’s have been reported.
The root of the problem, as uncovered through whole genome sequencing, lies in a shared ingredient: cooked pasta. FreshRealm’s spokesperson told Patch, "We now know the source was cooked pasta. It has been directly linked to the strain of Listeria found in the outbreak." The pasta was supplied by Nate’s Fine Foods of Roseville, California. Despite repeated requests, Nate’s Fine Foods has not immediately responded to questions from the press.
Health officials have stressed that the Listeria strain detected in the linguine used for the Walmart meatball dish matches the one identified in chicken fettuccine Alfredo linked to an earlier outbreak this year. That outbreak, as updated by federal health officials on September 26, 2025, resulted in four deaths and at least 20 illnesses nationwide. According to the Associated Press and Patch, FreshRealm promptly shared its findings with the USDA, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and continues to work closely with these agencies to contain the risk.
Consumers are being urged to check their refrigerators and freezers for the affected meals. The concern is that some of these products may still be in households, potentially putting vulnerable individuals at risk. The FSIS emphasized that people who have purchased the products should not eat them under any circumstances. Instead, they should throw them away or return them to the place of purchase for a refund, as highlighted by both the USDA and local news outlets.
Listeriosis, the infection caused by the Listeria bacteria, is no trivial matter. The illness can be particularly severe for pregnant women and their newborns, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Symptoms range from fever, muscle aches, and headache to stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions—sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. In pregnant women, listeriosis can lead to miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery, or life-threatening infections of the newborn. For older adults and immunocompromised individuals, the infection can be fatal. As Patch notes, anyone in a higher-risk category who experiences flu-like symptoms within two months of eating contaminated food should seek medical attention and inform their healthcare provider about the possible exposure.
Trader Joe’s and Walmart have both published extensive lists of store locations where the products were sold, underscoring the broad reach of the alert. For instance, in Virginia alone, dozens of Walmart and Trader Joe’s locations carried the implicated meals, as detailed by Patch. The warning, however, is not limited to Virginia—NBC Chicago reports that Trader Joe’s stores in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah were also affected, and Walmart’s distribution network spans the country. The FSIS has cautioned that additional products could be identified as the investigation continues.
For those unfamiliar with foodborne outbreaks, the Listeria situation serves as a sobering reminder of the hidden risks in everyday foods. Listeria monocytogenes is a hardy bacterium that can survive and thrive even in refrigerated environments, making it a particularly insidious threat in ready-to-eat meals. Unlike many other foodborne pathogens, Listeria can continue to grow at low temperatures, which is why the alert specifically mentions the risk posed by meals that may still be sitting in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers.
Federal agencies, including the USDA, FDA, and CDC, have increased their surveillance and are working closely with food producers to trace the outbreak to its source. The investigation has already led to significant actions from FreshRealm and the affected retailers, but the agencies warn that the public’s vigilance remains crucial. "At FreshRealm, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our customers. We have been relentless in our approach to get to the bottom of this, and we now have an answer," a FreshRealm spokesperson told Patch. The company’s transparency and cooperation with authorities have been praised, though questions remain about oversight and quality control within the broader food supply chain.
With no formal recall in place as of this writing, the public health alert stands as the primary line of defense. The FSIS and its partners are urging anyone who may have purchased the affected products to heed the warning, check establishment numbers on packaging, and err on the side of caution. For many, the episode is a stark lesson in the importance of food safety and the sometimes invisible dangers lurking behind familiar brand names and convenience meals.
As the investigation continues and new details emerge, consumers are reminded to stay informed and to act quickly if they suspect they have purchased or consumed any of the implicated products. The Listeria outbreak has already had tragic consequences, and the hope among health officials is that swift action and public awareness will prevent further illness or loss of life.
