USDA Issues Nationwide Listeria Alert for Ready-To-Eat Pasta Meals at Walmart, Trader Joe's

Federal health officials have issued a public health alert warning consumers not to eat certain ready-to-eat pasta meals sold at Walmart and Trader Joe's due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The affected products include Walmart's Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce, with best-by dates from September 22 to October 1, and Trader Joe's Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo, with best-by dates of September 20, 24, and 27. These meals were produced by FreshRealm and have been pulled from store shelves nationwide, though no official recall has been issued yet. Listeria infection can cause serious and sometimes fatal complications, especially in pregnant women, older adults, newborns, and people with weakened immune systems, with symptoms including fever, muscle aches, headache, nausea, and in severe cases, life-threatening conditions. The contamination is linked to an ongoing investigation into a previous outbreak involving chicken fettuccine alfredo meals, which caused multiple illnesses and deaths earlier this year. Consumers are advised to discard or return the products to the place of purchase and contact appropriate hotlines for questions.