The massive listeria outbreak caused by contaminated ready-to-eat meals has now caused at least six deaths and has led to 27 hospitalizations across 18 states, according to the CDC.
The FDA is urging people to check their freezers to see if they have bought any of the tainted products linked to the wave of illnesses.
Nate’s Fine Foods, which manufactures the products linked to the outbreak, released a statement on September 29, informing consumers that listeria had been detected in its products.
At the time, the company said that it was recalling the pasta dishes out of an “abundance of caution.”
Now, deaths have been recorded in Utah, Texas, Michigan, Illinois, Oregon, and Hawaii. According to Newsweek, the outbreak has also been linked to the tragic loss of one woman’s pregnancy.
Over 245,000 pounds of pasta, including fettuccine, linguine, and penne, have been recalled so far as manufacturers work to prevent further infections.
The contaminated ready-to-eat meals have been found to have been sold at Walmart, Trader Joe’s, Kroger, Giant Eagle, Sprouts Farmers Market, Demers Food, Marketside, and Albertsons.
Symptoms of a listeria infection typically appear within two weeks and often begin with gastrointestinal problems. Shortly after, it can cause fever, a stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, muscle aches, and headaches.
Infections can be severe for people over 65 and for pregnant women, as severe cases can lead to stillbirths, premature delivery, and newborns having serious infections of their own.
The FDA released a public statement urging people with symptoms to seek medical attention and announced that it would conduct further investigations into the safety of pasta dishes.
“Nate’s Fine Foods, Inc., does not sell affected products direct to retail,” the statement read. “The firm is working with the FDA and their customers to determine if additional recalls are needed.
“More information will be provided as it becomes available.”
The FSIS has released a list of products suspected to contain listeria. Customers who have purchased the ready-to-eat meals have been forced to throw them away or seek refunds.
Nate’s Fine Foods released a public statement apologizing for its role in the outbreak.
“Nate’s Fine Foods sincerely apologizes for the concern this may cause,” a spokesperson for the brand wrote. “We remain fully committed to transparency and to taking every necessary step to protect the health and trust of our consumers.”
The outbreak began last year, with FreshRealm, a food manufacturing company, now confirming through genetic testing that the listeria detected in their own products in 2024 matched the strain causing the current wave of infections.
