Overview
Federal health officials have issued a warning regarding certain heat-and-eat beef meatball pasta meals sold at Walmart, which may be contaminated with listeria bacteria. This warning follows a previous outbreak linked to similar products.
Product Details
Product Name: Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce
Packaging: Sold in 12-ounce clear plastic trays
Best-By Dates: September 22 through October 1
Establishment Numbers: EST. 50784
EST. 47718
Distribution: These products were distributed to Walmart stores nationwide.
Current Actions
Public Health Alert: Issued by the U.S. Agriculture Department late Thursday.
Recall Status: No formal recall has been announced; however, FreshRealm, the distributor, has advised Walmart to remove the products from shelves.
Walmart’s Response: The company has halted sales and removed the affected products from their stores.
Link to Previous Outbreak
The contaminated meals may contain the same strain of listeria responsible for a previous outbreak associated with chicken fettuccine Alfredo sold at Walmart and Kroger. This earlier outbreak resulted in four deaths and at least 20 illnesses.
Testing and Source
FreshRealm conducted tests that confirmed the presence of listeria in the linguine used in the meatball dish.
The identified strain matched that from the earlier chicken fettuccine Alfredo outbreak.
The pasta was sourced from Nate’s Fine Foods in Roseville, California, which has not responded to inquiries.
Health Risks
Listeria infections can lead to severe illness, particularly in:
Older adults
Individuals with weakened immune systems
Pregnant women and their newborns
Symptoms of Listeria Infection
Fever
Muscle aches
Headache
Stiff neck
Confusion
Loss of balance
Convulsions
Statistics
According to the CDC, approximately 1,600 people are infected with listeria each year, leading to about 260 deaths.
Conclusion
Federal officials are taking steps to address the potential health risk posed by the contaminated beef meatball pasta meals. Consumers are advised to check their refrigerators for the affected products and to be aware of the symptoms associated with listeria infections.

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