A deadly listeria outbreak has been traced to ready-to-eat chicken fettuccine Alfredo meals sold at Walmart Inc (NYSE:WMT, ETR:WMT) and Kroger Co (NYSE:KR, ETR:KOG), according to federal health officials.
The outbreak has caused three deaths, one pregnancy loss, and at least 17 reported illnesses across 13 US states as of mid-June. Sixteen people have been hospitalized due to the outbreak, which spans cases identified from July 2024 to May 2025.
The affected products were manufactured by FreshRealm, a prepared foods producer with facilities in California, Georgia, and Indiana.
The meals were sold in the refrigerated sections of Walmart under the Marketside brand and at Kroger under the Home Chef label.
The US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are jointly investigating the outbreak.
Although the outbreak strain was detected in March 2025 during routine testing at a FreshRealm facility, the contaminated product was destroyed before reaching consumers.
However, the source of contamination within the product line remains undetermined. Investigators have linked the outbreak to the recalled meals using retail shopper data and interviews with affected individuals.
Health officials urged consumers to check their refrigerators and freezers for the recalled meals and to discard them immediately or return them to the store. They emphasized that the products are no longer on store shelves but could still be in home kitchens.
Listeria is a serious foodborne illness that can lead to life-threatening infections, particularly in pregnant women, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems. Common symptoms include fever, muscle aches, gastrointestinal distress, headache, stiff neck, and confusion.