Growing Fatal Listeria Outbreak Linked To MN Walmart, Trader Joe’s Products

Federal health officials are warning shoppers that certain ready-to-eat pasta meals sold at Walmart and Trader Joe’s may be contaminated with Listeria and linked to a previous outbreak.

A total of 20 people in 15 states, including someone in Minnesota, have been infected as of September 25, the FDA said. Nineteen affected individuals have been hospitalized, with four deaths reported. Illness in one pregnant woman led to loss of the fetus, the federal agency said on Monday.

In a public health alert updated on Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety & Inspection Service added Trader Joe’s “Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettuccine Alfredo” as a product subject to their Listeria warning.

The 16-oz. plastic tray packages have “best if used by” dates of Sept. 20, 2025, Sept. 24, 2025, or Sept. 27, 2025, printed on the front label of their packaging, and have the establishment number “P-45288” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

In addition to the Trader Joe’s product, federal health officials also included Walmart’s “Marketside Linguine With Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce” in their warning.

The 12 oz. clear plastic tray packages have “best if used by” dates of Sept. 22, 2025, Sept. 24, 2025, Sept. 25, 2025, Sept. 29, 2025, Sept. 30, 2025, and Oct. 1, 2025. The product also has the establishment number “EST. 50784” or “EST. 47718” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

According to a report from the Associated Press, FreshRealm (a food producer that distributed the products) advised Walmart to pull its affected meals from store shelves, and Walmart officials said they put a stop on sales and removed the products from stores.

In a recall advisory posted on Friday, Trader Joe's also advised consumers to discard any affected "Cajun Style Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo" products or return them to their local Trader Joe's for a full refund.

In a statement sent to Patch, a FreshRealm spokesperson said whole genome sequencing confirmed that the Listeria outbreak strain traced back to an ingredient supplied by a third party.

"We now know the source was cooked pasta. It has been directly linked to the strain of Listeria found in the outbreak," the spokesperson said. “At FreshRealm, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our customers. We have been relentless in our approach to get to the bottom of this, and we now have an answer. "

According to the spokesperson, FreshRealm promptly shared these results with the USDA, the FDA, and the CDC and is continuing to work closely with these agencies.

According to health officials, one of the producing companies collected samples of the pre-cooked pasta used in its product as part of an investigation related to the Listeria outbreak previously linked to chicken fettuccine alfredo meals.

The test confirmed that the linguine pasta was positive for Listeria, and further testing is ongoing to determine if the Listeria is genetically related to the specific outbreak strain, officials said.
Customers who have purchased these products are urged not to eat them and to throw away the products or return them to the place of purchase.

Eating food contaminated with Listeria can cause Listeriosis, officials said, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns.

Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions, sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.
In pregnant women, the infection can lead to miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn. Serious and sometimes fatal infections can also occur in older adults and people with weakened immune systems.

Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics, though health officials said people in higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell their health care provider about eating the contaminated food.
To learn more, you can view the public health alert here.