The Recall Desk
Agency classPublic Health AlertOur severity:SevereUSDA FSIS·PHA-09252025-01·Announced 2025-09-25

USDA Alerts on Ready-to-Eat Pasta Meals Linked to Listeria Outbreak

USDA FSIS issued a public health alert for specific ready-to-eat pasta meals sold at Walmart and Trader Joe's due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination linked to a confirmed outbreak.

The agency’s classification

USDA FSIS: Public Health Alert

Public Health Alert is a warning FSIS issues when there is a food-safety concern but a recall is not requested, typically because the affected product is no longer available for purchase.

This is the agency’s own classification, taken from its notice. The severity score below is our assessment, not the agency’s. How recall classes work

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 4/5 (Severe).

The hazard poses a serious risk of illness, injury, or structural failure. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a confirmed Listeria monocytogenes outbreak linked to the product ingredient, which meets the rubric criteria for 'Severe' (score 4) due to significant injury reports associated with the outbreak strain.

Plain-English summary

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a public health alert for ready-to-eat meals containing pre-cooked pasta that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The alert covers specific products sold at Walmart and Trader Joe's. Affected items include Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce sold at Walmart and Trader Joe's Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettuccine Alfredo sold at Trader Joe's. The alert was updated in late September 2025 to include additional Trader Joe's products and dates.

Whole genome sequencing confirmed that the pasta ingredient used in these meals is genetically related to the Listeria strain responsible for an ongoing outbreak linked to prepared meals. FSIS is coordinating with the FDA, CDC, and state public health partners. Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns.

Consumers who have purchased these specific products are urged not to consume them. The products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. Persons in higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and inform their health care provider about the potential exposure.

The recalled product

Product
FSIS Issues Public Health Alert For Ready-To-Eat Meals Containing Pasta That May Be Contaminated with Listeria
Brand
Freshrealm
Manufacturer
Freshrealm
Category
Food — Ready-to-Eat Meals
Hazard

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

Related recalls

Same brand · Freshrealm

Same manufacturer · Freshrealm

See all →

Same hazard · listeria

See all →

Similar recalls