After a dangerous listeria outbreak claimed several lives, major grocery chains have been forced to recall popular food products.
Specifically, contaminated meals from Walmart and Kroger have killed three Americans and sickened 17 others.
Government regulators have traced the contamination to ready-to-eat chicken fettuccine Alfredo meals sold nationwide, raising concerns about food safety standards in the country.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued the urgent recall following the deadly listeria outbreak.
The contaminated products, made by California-based FreshRealm, Inc., have been linked to 17 illnesses across 13 states, resulting in three deaths and one fetal loss.
Despite the serious nature of the outbreak, FreshRealm has been slow to acknowledge responsibility.
The company issued a statement claiming it “has not received any direct reports of illness associated with the product,” while initiating a voluntary recall “out of an abundance of caution.”
The affected products include Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Fettuccine sold at Walmart and Home Chef Heat & Eat Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo available at Kroger.
Both products bear USDA inspection marks with establishment numbers EST. P-50784, EST. P-47770, and EST. P-47718, and have expiration dates of June 27, 2025, or earlier.
Federal officials are concerned that many Americans may still have these potentially deadly meals in their refrigerators or freezers.
The FSIS has reported that 16 of the 17 cases required hospitalization. The staggering 94% hospitalization rate demonstrates the severity of this outbreak.
Texas reported the highest number of cases with three infections, followed by Michigan with two.
Other affected states include Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Nevada, Ohio, South Carolina, and Virginia, showing the nationwide scope of this health crisis.
The FDA confirmed that one of the illnesses occurred in a pregnant woman, resulting in a tragic fetal loss.
Listeria infection can cause severe symptoms in pregnant women, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems, including fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, and gastrointestinal distress.
While government officials have identified the outbreak strain in a FreshRealm facility during routine testing, they have yet to determine the specific source of contamination.
The FSIS stated they are “working with public health partners to identify whether a specific ingredient in the chicken fettuccine Alfredo may be the source of this strain of Listeria.”
This uncertainty raises concerns about the effectiveness of food safety protocols and oversight in manufacturing facilities.
Consumers who have purchased the recalled products are urged to discard them immediately or return them to the place of purchase.
Those experiencing symptoms of listeria poisoning should seek medical attention promptly, as the infection is treatable with antibiotics when caught early.
For more information, affected consumers can contact FreshRealm’s customer service or the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline.
