Listeria‑Tainted Pasta Meals: Who Is at Highest Risk?

Health officials have confirmed a deadly Listeria outbreak in the United States traced to contaminated ready-to-eat pasta meals produced by FreshRealm LLC.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 27 confirmed infections, 25 hospitalisations, and six deaths across 18 states, making it one of the most serious foodborne incidents of 2025.

The tainted products include chicken fettuccine alfredo and shrimp scampi bowls with use-by dates between 10 and 29 October 2025.

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that can cause listeriosis, a serious infection particularly dangerous for pregnant women, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhoea, but in severe cases, the infection can lead to meningitis, miscarriage, or death.

The Source of the Outbreak

Investigators from the CDC and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have linked the outbreak to ready-to-eat pasta dishes made by FreshRealm, LLC, a California-based producer.

Laboratory tests confirmed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in chicken fettuccine Alfredo meals, matching strains found in pasta supplied by Nate's Fine Foods of Roseville, California, according to CDC.

The FDA announced a nationwide recall on 10 May 2025, covering multiple Fresh & Ready Foods products. In a related action, Lyons Magnus LLC withdrew frozen nutritional shakes distributed to hospitals and care facilities after an additional 38 infections were reported.

Authorities urge consumers to avoid all recalled meals and to check product packaging for batch codes and expiry dates. Further testing is underway to determine if other foods may have been contaminated.

The CDC has emphasised that further testing is being conducted to determine whether additional food products may be implicated in the outbreak.

Who Is at Highest Risk?

While listeriosis can affect anyone, certain groups are significantly more vulnerable:

• Pregnant women: Listeria can cross the placenta, potentially causing miscarriage, stillbirth, or severe infection in newborns.
• Older adults: Individuals over 65 are more likely to experience severe complications due to weakened immune responses.
• Immunocompromised individuals: Those undergoing chemotherapy, living with HIV/AIDS, or taking immunosuppressive medications are at heightened risk.
• Infants and young children: Though less commonly affected, they may suffer serious consequences if infected.

Public health officials have advised these groups to avoid all recalled products immediately and seek medical attention if symptoms arise.

Containment Efforts Intensify

Supermarkets and retailers across the country have pulled the affected meals from shelves, while the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) continues on-site testing at processing facilities linked to the contamination. The CDC, FDA, and local health agencies are coordinating nationwide surveillance to identify new cases quickly and limit exposure.

Health officials stress that Listeria is exceptionally resilient, capable of surviving refrigeration and even multiplying at low temperatures. As such, consumers are advised to thoroughly sanitise refrigerators, countertops, and utensils that may have come into contact with recalled meals.

What Consumers Should Do

Experts recommend several safety steps to protect against infection:

1. Check recall lists for affected pasta meals and discard them immediately.
2. Avoid tasting or reheating recalled products.
3. Clean and disinfect any surfaces or containers that stored contaminated foods.
4. Watch for symptoms such as fever, chills, nausea, or diarrhoea.
5. Seek medical care early — antibiotic treatment can prevent severe complications if given promptly.

The incident has reignited calls for tighter regulation of ready-meal manufacturing and better traceability across food supply chains.

Conclusion

The Listeria pasta outbreak serves as a grave reminder of how quickly food contamination can spread through everyday products.

For high-risk groups — including expectant mothers and the elderly — vigilance is critical. As authorities continue investigations, consumers are urged to remain alert, follow official updates, and treat food safety as a shared responsibility.

This incident serves as a sobering reminder of the potential dangers lurking in everyday meals and the importance of swift, coordinated action when public health is at stake.