Listeria alert issued for Walmart and Trader Joe’s frozen meals linked to shared ingredient source

Federal health officials on Thursday issued a public health alert for two frozen meals sold at Walmart and Trader Joe’s after tests detected Listeria monocytogenes in Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce, a ready-to-eat meal sold nationwide at Walmart. The product comes in a 12-ounce clear plastic tray and bears establishment numbers EST. 50784 and EST. 47718 inside the USDA inspection mark. Best-by dates for the affected lots span September 22, 24, 25, 29, 30 and October 1, 2025, according to the FSIS warning.

On Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service expanded the alert to include Trader Joe’s Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettuccine Alfredo. The frozen meal is packaged in a 16-ounce tray and carries establishment number P-45288 with best-by dates of September 20, 24, and 27, 2025. Trader Joe’s said stores in California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah may be affected. The Trader Joe’s product is described as a ready-to-eat 16-ounce tray that bears the same establishment numbers inside the USDA inspection mark. The warning notes the contaminated meals are linked to a shared ingredient source, with the linguine pasta at the center of the concern.

FreshRealm, the company that manufactures the Walmart linguine meal, said tests confirmed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in the beef meatball marinara linguine. The company said it held shipments after receiving positive results and noted that the outbreak strain is believed to have originated from an ingredient supplied by a third party.

The FSIS warning identifies the likely contaminated ingredient as linguine pasta sourced from Nate's Fine Foods of Roseville, California, and notes that one of the manufacturers collected samples of the pre-cooked pasta used in the meals. Additional testing and analysis are underway to determine whether the strain matches the outbreak strain linked to a previously reported chicken fettuccine Alfredo sold at Walmart and Kroger stores, which was linked to four deaths and at least 20 illnesses.

Listeriosis can cause severe and sometimes fatal infections, especially in pregnant women, newborns, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Symptoms can include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion and convulsions. According to the CDC, about 1,600 people contract listeriosis each year in the United States, and approximately 260 die.

FSIS said no illnesses have been reported in connection with the two meals, and no recall has been issued. The agency and FreshRealm urged consumers not to eat the products and to discard them or return them to the place of purchase. Walmart has removed the affected meals from its shelves, and Trader Joe’s is offering full refunds to customers who bought the impacted fettuccine Alfredo. FSIS says more products could be identified as the investigation continues and advised consumers to monitor updates on its website.