By Zachary Stieber
Contributing Writer
At least some of the listeria cases appearing across 13 states in recent weeks came from prepared meals sold at Kroger and Walmart, federal health officials said on Wednesday.
The listeria outbreak has resulted so far in 17 cases, including three deaths.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in an alert on Wednesday that “certain chicken fettuccine alfredo meals made by FreshRealm sold in grocery stores are a source of illness in this outbreak.”
FreshRealm did not respond to a request for comment by publication time.
The company’s meals were distributed to retail stores across the United States, officials said. They were sold at Kroger and Walmart under the Marketside and Home Chef brands.
Kroger did not return an inquiry by publication time.
“The health and safety of our customers is always a top priority. We immediately communicated with our stores to remove impacted product and are working with the supplier to investigate,” a Walmart spokesperson wrote in an email.
FreshRealm recalled the meals on Tuesday.
Officials say people should not eat the recalled meals. They should throw them out and also clean any areas and containers that may have touched them.
The products had one of three establishment numbers on them: EST. P-50784, EST. P-47770, or EST. P-47718. They were listed as being best by June 27, June 26, June 19, or prior. They were sold in the refrigerated section of stores, came assembled, and were ready to be prepared in microwaves.
Listeria infections are caused when people eat food contaminated with listeria, a bacteria. Symptoms, which usually appear within 24 hours after consuming contaminated food, can include fever, headache and seizures.
The outbreak has left 17 people infected, with illnesses beginning between July 24, 2024, and May 10, 2025, according to the CDC. Three deaths have been reported, in Illinois, Michigan and Texas. A pregnant woman who was sick also lost an unborn child.
The actual number of sick people in the outbreak is likely higher, according to the CDC. Some people recover from listeria without medical attention.
Of 11 people interviewed by state and local public health officials, seven said they ate precooked meals, and four said they specifically remembered consuming chicken fettuccine alfredo purchased from Walmart or Kroger.
Department of Agriculture investigators used purchase records to trace the Alfredo products bought by two of the ill people to FreshRealm. For another two people, investigators used other methods to trace the products back to FreshRealm Alfredo meals.
The investigators in March also identified an outbreak strain in a routine sample of FreshRealm meals, although that lot was not distributed to stores.
