Sold nationwide, Listeria-contaminated products result in four deaths, 19 hospitalizations

Four people are dead in a Listeria outbreak traced to pre-cooked pasta meals sold nationwide at three major retailers.

A recall has been issued for pre-cooked pasta meals sold at Walmart, Trader Joe’s and Albertsons after 19 hospitalizations in 15 states have been reported, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control, or CDC.

To date, there have been no infections reported in Virginia. However, neighboring states including North Carolina and South Carolina have been confirmed in the outbreak.

The recall includes the following products:

• Trader Joe’s Cajun style blackened chicken breast fettucine alfredo, 16-oz. plastic tray, “best if used by” dates include 9/20/25. 9/24/25 and 9/27/25. The items were sold at stores in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah.
• Albertsons pasta salads with sell-by dates through Sept. 29. The items were sold at stores in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Louisiana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming
• Walmart locations nationwide: Marketside beef meatball marinara linguine meals in 12-oz plastic tray, best if used by dates range from 9/22/25 – 10/1/25. Establishment number EST 50784 or 47718 inside the USDA mark of inspection.

If you have any of these products in your refrigerator or freezer, you should not eat them, according to the CDC.

You should clean your refrigerator, containers and surfaces; Listeria can survive in the refrigerator and easily spread to other foods and surfaces.

Listeria symptoms

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Symptoms usually start within two weeks after eating the contaminated food but may start as early as the same day or as late as 10 weeks after.

Symptoms may include:

• fever
• muscle aches
• tiredness
• headache
• stiffness
• confusion
• loss of balance
• convulsions

Even in mild cases, Listeria can cause pregnancy loss or premature birth. It can also cause serious illness or death in newborns.

Boar’s Head Listeria update

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Last year, a deadly Listeria outbreak claimed 10 lives with 61 reported infections in multiple states linked to Boar’s Head liverwurst.

In Virginia, there were four confirmed cases and one death linked to the Jarratt, Va., processing plant.

Approximately seven million pounds of liverwurst and deli meat products were recalled as health officials worked to trace the exact cause of the contamination.

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ICYMI

• Despite outbreak, Listeria data no longer required by feds on FoodNet
• One year after deadly Listeria outbreak that killed 10, Virginia plant set to reopen
• USDA: ‘Inadequate sanitation’ culprit of deadly Listeria outbreak at Boar’s Head plant
• Boar’s Head Listeria outbreak linked to 10 deaths, 59 hospitalizations in 19 states

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The Food Safety and Inspection Service with the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that the outbreak was due to inadequate sanitation processes. FSIS released 44 pages of inspection reports showing the plant had overspray on walls, blood in puddles on the floor, rancid odors, flies, gnats, cobwebs and mold on walls.

The liverwurst cook tank room, where the deadly strain of Listeria likely originated, was inspected shortly before the outbreak, and condensation was noted as an issue.

In response to the deadly outbreak, Boar’s Head permanently discontinued production of its liverwurst product.

While the Jarratt plant initially closed, the company seems ready to reopen the facility and was advertising for jobs at the location this summer.