The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a public health alert for a ready-to-eat meal sold at Walmart stores nationwide. The product may be contaminated with Listeria, a bacteria that can cause serious illness.
FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Pre-Cooked Pasta in Ready-to-Eat Meals
On September 25, the FSIS issued a public health alert for ready-to-eat foods containing FDA-regulated pre-cooked pasta. Tests indicate the pre-cooked pasta could be contaminated with Listeria, which can cause fever, muscle aches, and other serious symptoms. The pasta underwent tests to see if the Listeria outbreak was linked to chicken fettuccine alfredo.
Samples from the pasta manufacturer were tested to determine if they were linked to the Listeria outbreak. The test then confirmed that the linguine pasta was positive for Listeria monocytogenes. The testing continues to determine the root cause of the Listeria outbreak and whether it is genetically related to a specific strain.
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria that can pose serious health risks. In healthy individuals, it can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, and other symptoms.
Pregnant women, children, older adults, and anyone with weakened immune systems are at higher risk and should take extra precautions. Listeria infection can result in miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery, or life-threatening infections in newborns. It can be fatal to the elderly and frail individuals.
Consumers should avoid eating the product and either discard it or return it to the store immediately.
Product Description
FSIS has issued a public health alert for Marketside-branded ready-to-eat meals. The product was shipped to Walmart stores nationwide and could already be in customers’ homes. The establishment numbers on the product are “Est. 50784” or “Est. 47718” inside the USDA mark of inspection. A more detailed product description is as follows:
- Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce 12 oz. clear plastic tray packages. Best if used by dates – September 22, 2025, September 24, 2025, September 25, 2025, September 29, 2025, September 30, 2025, and October 1, 2025.
Consumers should not eat the product and are advised to throw it away or return it to Walmart. For questions regarding the public health alert, consumers can contact Nate’s Fine Foods at 916-677-7303. The operating hours are between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. PST Monday through Friday.
