Federal health officials have issued a warning against eating certain subscription meal kits containing spinach that may be contaminated with listeria. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a public health alert for the meals, produced by FreshRealm, a California-based company connected to an expanding outbreak tied to heat-and-eat pasta dishes.
The products under alert include 10.1-ounce containers of Cheesy Pulled Pork Pepper Pasta and 10-ounce containers of Unstuffed Peppers with Ground Turkey. Both were shipped directly to consumers. The pork pepper pasta is marked with the establishment number Est. 47718 and the lot code 49107 or Est. 2937 and lot code 48840. The unstuffed peppers with ground turkey carry Est. P-47718 and lot codes 50069, 50073, or 50698. The USDA reported that spinach used in these items tested positive for listeria bacteria. It added that there have been no confirmed cases of illness linked to these particular products.
FreshRealm previously confirmed that pasta used in linguine dishes sold at Walmart contained the same strain of listeria connected to an outbreak earlier in the year. That outbreak, initially traced to chicken fettucine Alfredo, has been linked to four deaths and 20 illnesses, the most recent recorded on September 11. FreshRealm stated that genetic testing identified the outbreak strain in pasta supplied by Nate's Fine Foods of Roseville, California.
Several other companies, including Kroger, Giant Eagle, and Albertson's, have recalled pasta salads and prepared dishes made with ingredients from Nate's Fine Foods due to potential contamination. Listeria infections are known to cause serious illness, particularly in older adults, people with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women or their newborns. Symptoms may include fever, muscle aches, stiff neck, headache, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1,600 people in the U.S. contract listeria infections each year, with around 260 deaths. Federal officials noted in December that they are revising prevention protocols following several outbreaks, including one involving deli meats that resulted in 10 deaths and more than 60 illnesses.
