Health officials have announced a nationwide recall of ready-to-eat pasta meals, including Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce, due to contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The products were manufactured by FreshRealm and sold at major U.S. retailers such as Walmart and Kroger.
This recall follows earlier outbreaks tied to FreshRealm products, including chicken fettuccine alfredo meals recalled in June. That outbreak resulted in three deaths, one pregnancy loss, and 16 hospitalizations across 13 states. The recurrence of contamination raises serious concerns over food safety protocols in large-scale food production and distribution.
The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a public health alert, urging consumers not to eat the affected meals. Products should be returned to the store of purchase or discarded immediately.
Listeria infections (listeriosis) can cause a wide range of health issues:
High-risk groups include pregnant women, newborns, elderly individuals, and those with weakened immune systems. Listeria can cross the placenta, leading to miscarriage, stillbirth, or severe infection in newborns.
The FDA and USDA are continuing investigations to determine whether the contamination in the pasta meals is connected to the earlier chicken alfredo outbreak. Meanwhile, consumers are advised to stay updated through official FDA recall notifications and FSIS alerts.
For questions, consumers can contact Nate’s Fine Foods at 916-677-7303, Monday to Friday, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. PST.
Source: http://cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/chicken-fettuccine-alfredo-06-25/index.html