Three Deaths and Pregnancy Loss Linked to Listeria Outbreak in Ready-to-Eat Meals Sold at Walmart and Kroger

The affected products include 12.5oz trays of Home Chef Heat & Eat Chicken Fettucine Alfredo pasta with a best-by date of June 19,2025 or before

Federal health officials are investigating a deadly listeria outbreak linked to ready-to-eat chicken fettuccine alfredo meals sold at major retailers Walmart and Kroger. The outbreak has resulted in three confirmed deaths and one pregnancy loss, with a total of 17 reported illnesses across 13 states.

FreshRealm, the food distributor responsible for the affected meals, announced a nationwide recall on Tuesday. The company is recalling all chicken fettuccine alfredo products produced before June 17, 2025, at its facilities in California, Georgia, and Indiana, citing listeria monocytogenes contamination.

The recalled products include:

Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Fettuccine Pasta in 32.8oz and 12.3oz trays with best-by dates of June 26 and June 27, 2025. Sold at Walmart.

Home Chef Heat & Eat Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo in 12.5oz trays with best-by dates of June 19, 2025, or earlier. Sold at Kroger.

Consumers can identify the affected products by establishment numbers “EST. P-50784,” “EST. P-47770,” or “EST. P-47718” near the USDA inspection mark. Customers are urged not to consume these products and are advised to either discard them or return them to the place of purchase.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is leading the investigation into how listeria contaminated the meals. According to FreshRealm, the probe is examining whether the contamination originated within their facilities or from external suppliers.

The affected products also include 32.8oz and 12.3oz trays of Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Fettucine pasta

Although FSIS has confirmed the fatalities and fetal loss related to the outbreak, FreshRealm stated it has not received direct consumer reports of illness but is cooperating with authorities who shared case information.

Listeria monocytogenes is a potentially deadly bacteria that poses serious risks, especially to pregnant women, newborns, the elderly, and individuals with compromised immune systems. While healthy adults may experience mild symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and gastrointestinal distress, severe infections can result in neurological complications like meningitis, seizures, and even death.

In pregnant women, even mild or asymptomatic infections can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, or life-threatening illness in newborns. Babies exposed to listeria may suffer from blindness, paralysis, organ failure, or developmental issues.

The recalled meals are sold nationwide at Walmart, under the Marketside brand, and Kroger, under the Home Chef brand

Each year, approximately 1,600 people in the United States contract listeria, with around 260 resulting in death. Treatment typically involves antibiotics, including ampicillin and sulfamethoxazole.

Consumers are urged to monitor for symptoms of listeriosis, especially if they have recently consumed the affected products. Early diagnosis and antibiotic treatment are essential for preventing serious outcomes.