Walmart and Kroger chicken meals recalled after three listeria deaths

David J. Neal, Miami Herald on Jun 18, 2025

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A listeria outbreak that has reached 13 states and involves three deaths has been linked to chicken Alfredo dishes recalled from Walmart and Kroger, the nation’s two largest grocery sellers.

Here’s what was announced Tuesday night by the USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service:

What’s been recalled from Kroger and Walmart?

From Walmart stores, manufacturer FreshRealm recalled Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Fettuccine in 12.3-ounce trays with a best by date on or before 6/26/2025 and 32.8-ounce trays with a best by date on or before 6/27/2025. Marketside is one of Walmart’s store brands.

FreshRealm also yanked Home Chef Heat & Eat Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo in 12.5-ounce trays with a best by date on or before 6/19/2025. Home Chef is a Kroger’s meal delivery service, although the recall notice said the meals went to retail stores nationwide.

The dishes have “EST. P-50784” “EST. P-47770” or “EST. P-47718” on the packaging representing FreshRealm’s facilities in Indianapolis and San Clemente, California.

What’s going on with the listeria outbreak?

The USDA says there have been 17 illnesses, three deaths and “one fetal loss” in this outbreak so far.

The USDA says the outbreak’s listeria strain was found in people as far back as August. In March, the same strain was found by the USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service at a FreshRealm establishment in a chicken fettuccine Alfredo sample. That lot didn’t reach retailers, USDA-FSIS said.

“FSIS also used purchase records from two ill people to trace purchased chicken fettuccine Alfredo products to FreshRealm establishments,” the USDA said. “An additional two ill people verbally described chicken fettuccine Alfredo products they purchased. FSIS identified products produced by FreshRealm that matched the descriptions during follow-up at the retail stores where they shopped.”

What’s listeria?

Listeria is a much less common foodborne illness than salmonella, sickening 1,600 per year in the United States as opposed to salmonella’s 1.35 million, but it’s far more deadly. The CDC credits about 260 deaths per year to listeria. Newborns, adults over 65 and those with damaged immune systems are most likely to get the worst of listeria. In pregnant women, it can cause miscarriages and stillbirths.

Most people will feel like they have the flu (fever, headaches, feeling tired, achy). Seizures are possible.

What should you do now?

Return the recalled Chicken Alfredo dishes to the store for a refund. If you can’t do that, throw them in the garbage deep enough to prevent pets from getting into them and take out the garbage. Clean and sanitize any surface the food touched.

Direct questions about this recall to FreshRealm at 888-244-1562.

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