Mueller residents check refrigerators

Mueller residents who bought ready-to-eat pasta meals are being asked to check home refrigerators and freezers after a listeria outbreak linked to prepared pasta dishes. Health agencies report 27 illnesses and six deaths in the outbreak, with 25 hospitalizations and one pregnancy-associated fetal loss, according to FDA and CDC. The most recent reported illness began Oct. 16, public-health officials at CDC said.

Texas is among the states with reported cases, as noted by CDC. Investigators are tracing purchases and supply chains for implicated meals sold under several brands and at several retailers, according to FDA.

What health officials say

Agencies at FDA and CDC said they are working to determine whether people who became ill ate recalled items and whether other items are contaminated. Since the last public update on Sept. 25, deaths increased by two and illnesses increased by seven, according to FDA.

Officials said stores have removed implicated items from shelves, but meals may remain in home refrigerators or freezers, according to FDA. People who have recalled products should not eat them. The products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

Listeria infections can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, according to CDC. Older adults, people who are pregnant, and people with weakened immune systems face higher risk of severe outcomes.

Products in the recall

A recall notice from FDA lists the following items and date ranges:

  • Sprouts Farmers Market Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad — use by dates 10/10/25 - 10/29/25
  • Giant Eagle smoked mozzarella pasta salad — expiration dates 9/30/25 through 10/7/25
  • Kroger deli bowtie and penne pasta salads — sold on AUG 29 2025 thru OCT 2 2025
  • Scott & Jon’s Shrimp Scampi with Linguini Bowls 9.6-oz — best if used by 3/12/2027, 3/13/2027, 3/17/2027, 3/21/2027
  • Trader Joe’s Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettuccine Alfredo 16-oz — best if used by 9/20/2025, 9/24/2025, 9/27/2025, 9/28/2025, 10/01/2025, 10/03/2025, 10/05/2025, 10/08/2025, 10/10/2025
  • Albertsons store-made deli pasta salads — sell thru dates from SEP 8 2025 to OCT 4 25
  • Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce 12 oz — best if used by SEP 22, 2025; SEP 24, 2025; SEP 25, 2025; SEP 29, 2025; SEP 30, 2025; OCT 01, 2025
  • Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Fettuccine 12.3-oz — best-by date of June 26, 2025, or prior; and 32.8-oz — best-by date of June 27, 2025, or prior
  • Home Chef Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo 12.5-oz — best-by date of June 19, 2025, or prior

Retailers named in recall notices include Albertsons, Trader Joe’s, Sprouts Farmers Market, Kroger, Giant Eagle, and brands sold at other outlets, according to FDA.

Advice for residents and clinicians

Guidance for Mueller households, based on CDC and FDA:

  • Check refrigerators and freezers for the products and dates listed above.
  • Do not eat recalled items. Throw them away in sealed packaging or return them to the store.
  • Clean and sanitize shelves, drawers, containers, and surfaces that touched recalled items.
  • People who are pregnant, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems who ate recalled items should contact a clinician.
  • Anyone with symptoms after possible exposure should seek medical care.

Guidance for clinicians in Austin-area clinics, from CDC:

  • Consider listeriosis in patients with compatible illness and relevant food exposure.
  • Obtain appropriate cultures, including blood and cerebrospinal fluid when indicated.
  • Report suspected and confirmed cases to local or state health departments to aid the investigation.

Context for Mueller

Listeria causes an estimated 1,600 illnesses and 260 deaths in the United States each year, according to CDC. Foodborne pathogens overall cause an estimated 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths each year, as summarized in public health materials cited by MerckVetManual. Analyses have placed the annual economic cost of foodborne illness in the tens of billions of dollars, according to Pew.

Past listeria outbreaks have shown higher rates of illness among older adults. Historical reports document median ages in the mid-60s in multistate outbreaks in 1998 and 2000, as reported by CDC and CDC. Those reports describe case interviews, product traceback, and laboratory subtyping that guide current work.

Investigation continues

The outbreak involves products sold across many states. Agencies at FDA and CDC said work continues to identify any further products or lots and to confirm exposures among patients. Mueller households can limit risk by removing recalled items, cleaning food storage areas, and contacting clinicians if exposure or symptoms occur.

Read the press release on kvue.com.