Walmart, Trader Joe’s meals may contain listeria linked to deadly outbreak
How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.
Diverging Reports Breakdown
Health alert issued for two frozen meals sold at Trader Joe’s, Walmart
Trader Joe’s stores in California are potentially affected, along with Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah, the store said. Listeria infections can cause serious illness, and can be especially harmful to pregnant women, people over 65, or those with weakened immune systems. Symptoms typically start within two weeks of eating contaminated food and can include fever, muscle aches, fatigue, headaches, and convulsions among others. The USDA warned that meals may be contaminated with the same strain of listeria found in a separate chicken fettuccine Alfredo product sold at Walmart that has killed four people and sickened at least 20.
A public health alert has been issued around specific frozen pasta meals sold at Trader Joe’s and Walmart stores nationwide due to potential contamination with listeria bacteria previously linked to a deadly outbreak this summer.
In an announcement on Thursday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture warned consumers to steer clear of Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce sold at Walmart in clear, 12-ounce plastic trays.
Advertisement Article continues below this ad
The linguine products have best-by dates of Sept. 22, 24, 25, 29, 30 and October 1 of this year and may still be in consumers’ refrigerators. The Walmart linguine bears establishment numbers “EST. 50784” and “EST. 47718” on the USDA inspection label.
The following day, the FSIS updated the alert to include Trader Joe’s Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettuccine Alfredo, sold in 16-once plastic trays with best-by dates of September 20, 24 and 27 of this year. The Trader Joe’s frozen meals are marked P- 45288 inside the USDA inspection mark.
This Trader Joe’s Cajun style fettuccine Alfredo was listed in the USDA’s public health alert. U.S. Department of Agriculture
“We are issuing this guidance in an abundance of caution because testing of another brand with a shared ingredient source indicated this product may have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes,” Trader Joe’s said on its website.
Advertisement Article continues below this ad
Trader Joe’s stores in California are potentially affected, along with Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah, the store said.
While no official recall has been issued, nor reported illnesses related to the two products, the USDA warned that meals may be contaminated with the same strain of listeria found in a separate chicken fettuccine Alfredo product sold at Walmart that has killed four people and sickened at least 20.
FreshRealm, the company that produces the linguine sold at Walmart, ran tests on the product that confirmed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes, and further testing was needed to determine if it’s genetically related to the outbreak strain.
“FreshRealm held beef meatball marinara linguine meals after they tested positive for the outbreak strain,” the CDC said in its update on Friday.
Advertisement Article continues below this ad
The CDC states that listeria infections can cause serious illness, and can be especially harmful to pregnant women, people over 65, or those with weakened immune systems. Symptoms typically start within two weeks of eating contaminated food and can include fever, muscle aches, fatigue, headaches, and convulsions among others.
Source: https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/walmart-trader-joes-listeria-warning-21070933.php