What We Know About the FreshRealm Prepared Pasta Listeria Outbreak
CDC, FDA, and USDA-FSIS linked 28 Listeria monocytogenes illnesses, 27 hospitalizations, 7 deaths, and 1 fetal loss across 19 states to prepared pasta meals manufactured by FreshRealm Inc. and sold under the Marketside (Walmart) and Home Chef (Kroger) brand names. The outbreak was declared over on February 12, 2026. The contamination was traced to linguine pasta supplied by Nate’s Fine Foods.
How the Outbreak Was Traced
The investigation began in June 2025 when CDC, FDA, and USDA-FSIS opened a multistate outbreak investigation after several Listeria illnesses were linked to refrigerated chicken fettuccine alfredo meals. FreshRealm conducted internal ingredient testing and identified linguine pasta from supplier Nate’s Fine Foods as the contaminated ingredient. Whole genome sequencing confirmed the match between bacteria from the pasta and bacteria from sick people.
Once the ingredient source was identified, the recall expanded through fall 2025 to additional prepared pasta meals and pasta salads sold at major retailers including Walmart, Kroger, Trader Joe’s, Albertsons, Sprouts, and Giant Eagle.
Why This Outbreak Was So Deadly
Of the 28 confirmed cases, 27 were hospitalized and 7 died. The deaths were reported from Arizona, Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, Oregon, Texas, and Utah. One pregnancy-associated illness resulted in a fetal loss. The median age of victims was 75, and 68 percent were female. The high death rate reflects how dangerous Listeria is for the elderly, immunocompromised, and pregnant women. The outbreak lasted over 18 months from the first illness in August 2024 to the most recent in November 2025, because the contaminated linguine was used in many ready-to-eat products that traveled through multiple distribution channels.
Who May Be Liable
Multiple companies in the supply chain may be liable: FreshRealm Inc. as the meal manufacturer, Nate’s Fine Foods as the contaminated ingredient supplier, and major retailers like Walmart and Kroger that sold the products under their store brand names. Product liability law typically allows plaintiffs to pursue any party in the chain of distribution.
Your Legal Rights
If you or a loved one developed laboratory-confirmed listeriosis after eating FreshRealm prepared pasta, Marketside pasta from Walmart, Home Chef pasta from Kroger, or other recalled prepared pasta products, you may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, hospitalization costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages. Families of those who died may pursue wrongful death claims, and families affected by pregnancy loss may pursue claims related to that loss.
Ron Simon & Associates is a food poisoning law firm that has recovered over $850 million for victims nationwide. Our Listeria lawyers focus exclusively on foodborne illness litigation and are actively investigating this outbreak. You pay our law firm nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Contact us for a free consultation at 1-888-335-4901.