Imagine reaching for your favorite pasta meal, only to discover it could be harboring a dangerous bacteria! That's the unsettling reality for consumers as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) sounds the alarm about certain ready-to-eat pasta dishes sold at Walmart and Trader Joe's. These meals may be contaminated with listeria, the same bacteria linked to a deadly outbreak that has already claimed lives.

In a startling announcement on Thursday, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert for Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce sold at Walmart. These meals, packaged in 12-ounce clear plastic trays, have best-by dates ranging from September 22 to October 1. If you’ve recently purchased this product, it might still be lurking in your fridge, waiting to cause chaos.

But that’s not all! On Friday, the alert expanded to include Trader Joe's Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettuccine Alfredo, packaged in 16-ounce trays with best-by dates of September 20, 24, or 27. Both products bear the establishment number “P-45288” inside the USDA inspection mark—definitely not something you want to overlook.

The contaminated meals from Walmart carry the establishment numbers “EST. 50784” and “EST. 47718,” and were shipped to stores nationwide. A spokesperson for Walmart assured shoppers, “The health and safety of our customers is always a top priority. We have removed this product from our impacted stores and we are working with the supplier to investigate.”

Fortunately, there have been no reported illnesses linked to these products yet, but the USDA urges consumers to take action. If you have these meals, toss them out! You can even return them to any Walmart for a full refund.

While a formal recall has not been issued, FreshRealm, the food producer behind these meals, has already advised Walmart to pull them from the shelves. The urgency is clear as federal health officials are still uncovering the scope of the listeria threat. It’s the same strain tied to an outbreak involving chicken fettuccine Alfredo meals that left four people dead and infected at least 20 others this past summer.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), FreshRealm’s tests revealed listeria in the linguine used in their beef meatball dish, which matches the strain from the previous outbreak. The source of the listeria is still under investigation, yet FreshRealm suspects a third-party supplier may be to blame.

It’s crucial to understand that listeria infections can pose severe risks, particularly to older adults, pregnant individuals, and those with weakened immune systems. Symptoms can range from fever and muscle aches to more severe complications, including confusion and convulsions. Approximately 1,600 people fall ill from listeria each year, with around 260 succumbing to this serious infection.

The USDA is taking steps to revamp regulations following several high-profile listeria outbreaks, and this latest alert is a reminder to stay vigilant with food safety. As consumers, we need to be proactive about what’s on our plates!