Two more people have died and several others have been hospitalized in connection with a listeria outbreak linked to recalled ready-to-eat pasta products from Nate’s Fine Foods Inc., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Nine prepared meal products sold in the refrigerated and frozen sections intended for microwaving have been recalled so far by multiple retailers, including Kroger, Walmart, Trader Joe’s and Albertsons.
The CDC, along with the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service, issued an updated public health alert on Thursday stating that seven more illnesses had been reported since its previous health alert on Sept. 25.
Two additional deaths were reported in Hawaii and Oregon, according to the CDC, bringing the total number of deaths to six, and the number of people hospitalized rose by six, bringing the total number of hospitalizations to 25.
“CDC and states are working to get information on whether sick people ate recalled food or if additional foods may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes,” the agency stated. “Double check your refrigerators and freezers for recalled food and do not eat them.”
Twenty-seven illnesses have been reported across 18 states since the outbreak began in August 2024, the CDC stated.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration posted an update in tandem with the CDC on Thursday, adding more prepared pasta products to its list of affected items.
“Nate’s Fine Foods, Inc., does not sell affected products direct to retail. The firm is working with the FDA and their customers to determine if additional recalls are needed,” the FDA stated.
The full list of recalled items is available online.