Deadly Listeria outbreak in California connected to heat-and-eat chicken products

California – A deadly outbreak of listeria food poisoning linked to heat-and-eat chicken fettuccine alfredo products sold at Kroger and Walmart has claimed three lives and resulted in one pregnancy loss, federal health officials reported Tuesday. The outbreak has affected at least 17 people across 13 states and dates back to last August, underscoring the persistent risks posed by contaminated ready-to-eat foods.

The recalled products come from FreshRealm, a major food producer with facilities in California, Georgia, and Indiana. The recall includes three varieties of chicken fettuccine alfredo: 32.8-ounce trays of Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Fettucine Tender Pasta and Creamy Alfredo Sauce, 12.3-ounce trays of the same product that include broccoli, and 12.5-ounce trays of Home Chef Heat & Eat Chicken Fettucine Alfredo. All products have best-by dates on or before mid to late June and were distributed to retail outlets nationwide.

Federal investigators identified the outbreak strain of listeria in samples from sick individuals collected between August and May. Notably, the identical strain was also detected during a routine inspection in March in a sample of chicken fettuccine alfredo, which was destroyed before reaching consumers. Despite this, officials have yet to pinpoint the exact source of contamination within the production chain.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is actively investigating the outbreak, though it has not yet disclosed the specific states affected or the precise locations of the fatalities and pregnancy loss. Health authorities are advising consumers to avoid eating the recalled products, urging them to discard any items in their homes or return them to the point of purchase.

Listeria monocytogenes, the bacterium responsible for this outbreak, poses a particularly severe threat to vulnerable populations including older adults, individuals with compromised immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Symptoms of infection often include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and seizures, with severe cases leading to hospitalization or death.

The CDC estimates that approximately 1,600 people contract listeria infections annually in the United States, resulting in around 260 deaths. This outbreak arrives amid renewed federal efforts to combat listeria contamination following several high-profile incidents, including a major outbreak last year linked to Boar’s Head deli meats that caused 10 deaths and over 60 illnesses. In response, federal agencies have been revising protocols to better prevent future outbreaks and protect public health.