Do You Know What Listeria Is? Walmart and Kroger Recall Pasta After 3 Deaths and a Fetal Loss

• Listeria Alert: Pasta pulled from the market
• Three confirmed deaths in the U.S.
• Products sold at Walmart and Kroger

A ready-to-eat pasta dish has triggered a listeriosis outbreak that has left a tragic toll in the United States.

Three people have died, a woman lost her baby, and 17 others became infected across at least 13 states.

The source: chicken Alfredo pasta contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a dangerous bacterium that can go unnoticed… until it’s too late.

What Is Listeria? A Silent Threat in Ready-to-Eat Foods

1. What is listeria and how is it transmitted?

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium found in soil, water, and some raw or improperly processed foods.

It spreads through consumption of contaminated products, especially those not cooked before eating, such as:

• Cold cuts and deli meats
• Soft unpasteurized cheeses
• Ready-to-eat foods (like FreshRealm’s Alfredo pasta)

What makes it especially dangerous is that it can survive and multiply even under refrigeration.

2. What are the symptoms?

Listeriosis symptoms may vary, but the most common include:

• Persistent fever
• Intense muscle aches
• Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
• Headache and confusion
• Stiff neck
• Loss of balance and seizures

In pregnant women, symptoms may be mild or absent—but the risk to the fetus is serious: miscarriage, premature birth, or fetal death.

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3. Who is most at risk?

While anyone can contract listeriosis, the most vulnerable are:

• Older adults (65+)
• People with weakened immune systems (due to HIV, cancer, diabetes, transplants, etc.)
• Pregnant women
• Newborns

In these groups, the infection can rapidly spread to the central nervous system or cause sepsis.

4. What products are involved in the Walmart and Kroger pasta recall?

FreshRealm recalled three chicken fettuccine Alfredo presentations:

• Marketside (Walmart) – 12.3 oz and 32.8 oz
• Home Chef (Kroger) – 12.5 oz

All produced before June 17, 2025. If you have any, do not eat them.

5. What should you do if you already ate one?

If you consumed these products and develop listeriosis symptoms in the following days or weeks, seek medical attention and mention potential listeria exposure.

Diagnosis typically involves a blood test, and treatment requires antibiotics.

6. How can you prevent these types of infections?

• Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly
• Fully cook meats and fish
• Avoid unpasteurized dairy products
• Regularly clean surfaces and refrigerators
• Check expiration dates and health alerts

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plays a critical role in detecting and managing Listeria outbreaks like this one.

In coordination with FSIS and the CDC, the FDA is actively involved in monitoring, regulating, and recalling contaminated food to protect public health.

This case highlights the importance of staying alert to health warnings and trusting the institutions responsible for food safety.

The agency continues to monitor the supply chain to prevent further exposures and minimize the risk of additional infections.

Have you ever checked whether any items in your fridge have been recalled for health reasons?

SOURCE: FDA – U.S. Food and Drug Administration / CDC – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention / FSIS – June 17, 2025