By JONEL ALECCIA
Two new deaths and seven more illnesses have been reported in an expanding outbreak of listeria food poisoning tied to recalled pasta meals sold at grocery stores including Walmart and Trader Joe’s in many states.
In total, at least six people have died and 27 have been sickened in 18 states in the outbreak that began in August 2024. The latest illnesses occurred in September and October, with the most recent on Oct. 16, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The new deaths were reported in Hawaii and Oregon, the CDC said. Previous deaths were reported in Illinois, Michigan, Texas and Utah. One person who became ill was pregnant and it resulted in the death of a fetus.
The outbreak has been traced to precooked pasta produced by Nate’s Fine Foods of Roseville, California. In September, the company recalled nearly 245,000 pounds of pasta, including cases of linguine, fettuccine, penne and other products sold to large producers of heat-and-eat meals and pasta salads.
The move came after tests showed that pasta made by Nate’s Fine Foods contained the same strain of listeria found in chicken fettuccine Alfredo and meatball linguine products identified in the outbreak. FreshRealm, the San Clemente, California, company that produced those meals, used genetic sequencing to confirm the link to the outbreak.
Several national grocery stores have recalled dozens of products made with the affected pasta. People should check their refrigerators and freezers for the recalled foods and throw them away or return them to stores for a refund, officials said.
The CDC is working with state health officials to determine whether sick people ate recalled food or if additional foods may be contaminated with listeria bacteria linked to the outbreak. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Agriculture Department are also investigating.
Here are the recalls to date:
- Sprouts Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad sold from the deli service counter or Grab & Go section with best-by dates from Oct. 10 to Oct. 29.
- Giant Eagle smoked mozzarella pasta salad — expiration dates Sept. 30 through Oct. 7.
- Kroger stores recalled deli bowtie and penne pasta salads — sold Aug. 29 through Oct. 2.
- Scott & Jon’s Shrimp Scampi with Linguini Bowls 9.6-oz. — best if used by dates of March 12 and 13 and March 17 and 21 2027.
- Trader Joe’s Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettuccine Alfredo 16-oz plastic tray packages with “best if used by” dates Sept. 20, Sept. 24, Sept. 27, Sept. 28, Oct. 1, Oct. 3, Oct. 5, Oct. 8 and Oct. 10.
- Albertsons stores recalled store-made deli pasta salads — sell through dates from Sept. 8 to Oct. 4.
- Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce 12-oz. — best-by dates of Sept. 22, Sept. 24, and 25 and Sept. 29 to Oct. 1.
- Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Fettuccine 12.3-oz. – best-by date of June 26, 2025, or prior; and 32.8-oz. — best-by date of June 27, 2025, or prior.
- Home Chef Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo 12.5-oz. — best-by date of June 19 or prior.
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