Prepared Meals Removed From Kroger, Other Stores Over Listeria Contamination

The Kroger Co. has recalled two pasta salads sold in nearly 2,000 stores across 28 states, the Food and Drug Administration announced on Saturday.

The company initiated the recall after the products’ supplier, Fresh Creative Foods, warned that the pastas may be contaminated with Listeria.

Check your fridge for these items now.

The recall affects two pasta salads:

Basil Pesto Bowtie Pasta Salad

• UPC: 217573-10000
• Sold on: Sept. 6, 2025, through Oct. 2, 2025

Smoked Mozzarella Penne Salad

• UPC: 227573-10000
• Sold on: Aug. 29, 2025, through Oct. 2, 2025

The items were sold in deli departments at both the service counter and the grab-and-go section.

The affected products were sold at the following retailers in the Kroger Family of Stores:

• Kroger
• Baker’s
• City Market
• Dillons
• Fred Meyer
• Fry’s
• Gerbes
• King Soopers
• Payless
• Ralphs
• Smith’s

The recalled pasta salads were sold at 1,860 store locations in these states:

• Alaska
• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Georgia
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Michigan
• Missouri
• Mississippi
• Montana
• Nebraska
• New Mexico
• Nevada
• Ohio
• Oregon
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Washington
• West Virginia

Kroger recalled the pasta salads after Fresh Creative Foods notified the company of the Listeria risk on Oct. 1.

Specifically, Fresh Creative Foods said the supplier of the pasta in the products, Nate’s Fine Foods, was recalling its bowtie and penne pastas due to possible Listeria contamination.

This came after Nate’s Fine Foods had recalled bowtie pastas—sold at 24 Smith’s stores in Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada—in late September over Listeria concerns.

The bacteria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, particularly in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. In fact, while infections are rare, Listeria is one of the leading causes of death from foodborne illness.

So far, no illnesses have been reported in connection to the recalled pasta salads.

Look for the recalled pasta salads in your fridge. If you have the items, do not eat them. The FDA is urging consumers to return the pasta salads for a refund or replacement.

According to the FDA, Kroger has removed these products from stores and alerted customers about the recall through register receipt tape messages and emails.

If you think you’ve eaten contaminated pasta salad and are concerned about Listeria, contact a healthcare provider. Healthy people typically experience short-term symptoms of: