Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Listeria Outbreak Tied to Prepared Pasta Meals Reaches 6 Deaths Across 18 States

Federal testing traced the strain to pre-cooked pasta from Nate’s Fine Foods used in FreshRealm meals, prompting nationwide recalls.

Overview

  • Health agencies report 27 illnesses and 25 hospitalizations, including one pregnancy-associated fetal loss, in the latest Oct. 30 update.
  • Whole‑genome sequencing found the outbreak strain in FreshRealm products and linked it to Nate’s pre-cooked pasta, leading to a recall of more than 245,000 pounds in September.
  • Recalled items span major retailers, including Trader Joe’s Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettuccine Alfredo, Walmart’s Marketside meals, Kroger and Albertsons deli pasta salads, Giant Eagle, Sprouts, and Scott & Jon’s shrimp scampi bowls.
  • Illnesses date back to August 2024, with the most recent confirmed case on Oct. 16, 2025, and officials note counts can rise as additional cases are sequenced and linked.
  • Consumers are urged to discard or return recalled products and clean refrigerators and surfaces because Listeria can survive and spread at cold temperatures.