WASHINGTON — Federal food safety authorities are advising people to discard or return specific pasta meals from Walmart due to potential listeria contamination.

On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service released a health alert concerning Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce. These meals are packaged in 12-ounce clear plastic trays and have “best if used by” dates from Sept. 22 to Oct. 1, 2025.

These meals were available at Walmart locations throughout the country and carry the establishment numbers “EST. 50784” or “EST. 47718” within the USDA inspection emblem.

The contamination surfaced amid an investigation into a listeria outbreak tied to chicken fettuccine alfredo products. Tests showed the pre-cooked pasta in these linguine dishes contained Listeria monocytogenes. It is still being verified whether it corresponds to the outbreak strain.

Consumers are advised not to consume these meals and to either dispose of them or return them to the purchase location. Although store shelves have been cleared of these meals, they might still be found in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers.

Listeria infections pose significant risks to pregnant women, individuals over 65, and those with compromised immune systems. The bacteria can lead to listeriosis, a severe infection characterized by symptoms such as fever, muscle pains, headaches, stiff neck, confusion, and loss of balance.

For pregnant women, listeria can cause miscarriages, stillbirths or life-threatening infections in newborns. While less common, healthy adults outside high-risk groups can also become ill.

People in high-risk categories who develop flu-like symptoms within two months of eating contaminated food should seek medical attention and inform their healthcare provider about the potential exposure.

Customers with questions about the alert can contact Nate’s Fine Foods at 916-677-7303 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. PST, Monday through Friday.