Walmart and Kroger recall ready-to-eat meals after 3 deaths, 17 illnesses

Batches of ready-to-eat meals sold at Walmart and Kroger are being recalled after causing multiple deaths and several illnesses.

FreshRealm is recalling products that include its chicken fettuccine alfredo after three deaths and 17 illnesses were reported across 13 states, citing symptoms of listeria poisoning as of June 17.

Walmart and Kroger recall

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and public health partners are currently investigating a listeria outbreak in products that came from FreshRealm locations in San Clemente, Calif., Montezuma, Ga., and Indianapolis, Ind.

The FSIS announced on Tuesday that the FreshRealm locations are subject to recall multiple variations of their ready-to-eat products shipped to Kroger and Walmart nationwide.

Listeria-infected products

According to the FSIS, the following ready-to-eat products are included in the Kroger and Walmart recall:

• 32.8-oz. tray packages containing “MARKETSIDE GRILLED CHICKEN ALFREDO WITH FETTUCCINE Tender Pasta with Creamy Alfredo Sauce, White Meat Chicken and Shaved Parmesan Cheese”
• Best-by date of 06/27/25 or prior.
• 12.5 oz. tray packages containing “HOME CHEF Heat & Eat Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo with pasta, grilled white meat chicken, and Parmesan cheese”
• Best-by date 06/19/25 or prior.
• 12.3 oz. tray packages containing “MARKETSIDE GRILLED CHICKEN ALFREDO WITH FETTUCCINE Tender Pasta with Creamy Alfredo Sauce, White Meat Chicken, Broccoli and Shaved Parmesan Cheese”
• Best-by date 06/26/25 or prior.

The products also bear the USDA mark of inspection on the product label as well as establishment numbers on the side of the packaging:

• EST. P-50784
• EST. P-47770
• EST. P-47718

The FSIS has advised consumers who bought any of the infected items and froze them to throw them away immediately.

The Listeria strain outbreak was found in ill people between August 2024 and May 2025, and the same Listeria strain was isolated after a routine sample collection by FSIS in March on the chicken fettuccine alfredo in a FreshRealm establishment.

FSIS noted that the sample collection from the batch of listeria-infected chicken fettuccine alfredo in March had been destroyed and never entered commerce.

Listeria diagnosis

The FSIS included the many possible symptoms that listeria can cause in its announcement:

• Fever
• Muscle aches
• Headaches
• Stiff neck
• Confusion
• Loss of balance
• Gastrointestinal symptoms

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