Three deaths and a pregnancy loss have been reported in connection with contaminated ready-to-eat chicken fettuccine alfredo meals. FreshRealm has issued a recall affecting products sold at Walmart and Kroger stores across the US.
US health authorities are investigating a listeria monocytogenes outbreak tied to ready-to-eat chicken fettuccine alfredo meals manufactured by FreshRealm. As of mid-June, the outbreak has resulted in 17 confirmed infections across 13 states, including three fatalities and one fetal loss, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The recall, issued on 17 June 2025, applies to specific items sold under the Marketside and Home Chef brands, all distributed nationally through Walmart and Kroger. The affected meals were marked with establishment numbers EST. P-50784, EST. P-47770, or EST. P-47718, and best-before dates of 19 June, 26 June, or 27 June 2025.
Investigation links outbreak strain to FreshRealm products
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) confirmed that the same strain of Listeria monocytogenes identified in the patient samples was also found in a sample collected at a FreshRealm facility in March 2025.
While that particular batch was destroyed and never released, further analysis has linked consumer purchase records and product descriptions directly to FreshRealm’s production.
According to FSIS, two ill individuals had retained purchase receipts pointing to the affected products. Two others provided product descriptions that matched items identified at retail locations during trace-back inspections. Despite further testing of ingredients and production lines, investigators have not yet identified the specific source of contamination.
The CDC has categorised the situation as an open investigation and continues to work alongside FSIS and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Consumers have been advised to discard any listed products or return them to their point of purchase.
Listeriosis risks severe outcomes for vulnerable groups
Listeria monocytogenes poses serious health risks, especially to pregnant women, newborns, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals. The infection, known as listeriosis, can result in a range of severe symptoms including fever, muscle aches, confusion, and loss of balance, and can be fatal in extreme cases.
According to the CDC, pregnant women are at heightened risk, even if symptoms are mild. In such cases, infection may lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, or life-threatening infections in newborns. Of the 17 known infections in this outbreak, 16 required hospitalization.
The CDC and FSIS continue to monitor the outbreak. In the meantime, health officials urge anyone who suspects they may have consumed affected products and is experiencing symptoms to seek immediate medical care and mention potential exposure to listeria-contaminated food.
