Prepared pasta tied to 6 deaths, over 2 dozen illnesses

Seven more people have fallen ill and two more have died in an ongoing listeria outbreak linked to prepared pasta meals, according to federal health officials.

As of Oct. 30, 27 people across 18 states have been infected with listeriosis, with 25 going to the hospital. Six people have died, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is working alongside the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

The reported deaths occurred in Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, Oregon, Texas and Utah. One pregnancy-associated illness resulted in a fetal loss.

However, the number of sick people in this outbreak is “likely higher than the number reported” due to the fact that some people recover without medical care and are not tested for listeria.

Federal officials, with the help of state and local partners, have been investigating illnesses in the multistate outbreak of listeria monocytogenes infections linked to prepared meals in March when FSIS first identified the bacteria in a routine sample of FreshRealm chicken fettuccine alfredo.

In September, the CDC reported that FreshRealm discovered a beef meatball linguine marinara meal that tested positive for the same strain of listeria monocytogenes responsible for the current outbreak. While those meals were never distributed to consumers, the company also tested ingredients used in the product. The pasta tested positive for listeria, the CDC said.

Whole genome sequencing confirmed that the bacteria found in the pasta matched the outbreak strain. Companies that used certain lots of the affected pasta are now recalling prepared foods and meals made with those products, according to the CDC. 

Nate’s Fine Foods Inc., which supplies the affected pasta, expanded its recall of certain lots of pre-cooked pasta including fettucine, linguine and farfalle after a sample of linguine pasta tested by FreshRealm was positive for listeria monocytogenes.  

Nate’s Fine Foods, which does not sell affected products direct to retail, is working with the FDA and their customers to determine if additional recalls are needed. 

Here are the recalls associated with the outbreak to date: 

• Sprouts Farmers Market Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad
• Giant Eagle smoked mozzarella pasta salad
• Kroger stores recalled deli bowtie and penne pasta salads
• Demers Food Group’s Scott & Jon’s Shrimp Scampi with Linguini Bowls 9.6-oz
• Trader Joe’s Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettucine Alfredo 16-oz plastic tray packages
• Albertsons stores recalled store-made deli pasta salads
• Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce 12-ounce
• Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Fettuccine 12.3-ounce
• Home Chef Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo 12.5-ounce 

FOX Business reached out to Kroger, Alberstons, Trader Joes, Sprouts, Demers Food Group and FreshRealm for comment.