In March 2025, Department of Agriculture inspectors found listeria during a routine test of a sample chicken fettuccine Alfredo at a FreshRealm facility. That particular lot of product was destroyed, but the strain of listeria that was found matched the strain responsible for the present listeria outbreak. The USDA was also able to determine that at least four of the 17 people who have become ill in the outbreak had consumed the chicken fettuccine Alfredo.
FreshRealm didn’t respond to CR’s questions about why it took so long to issue a recall after listeria had been found by the USDA. In a statement, the company said it is investigating how the products became contaminated—either in the FreshRealm facility itself or through any of the ingredients that the company used from outside suppliers. The source of the contamination has not yet been identified.
“Search your refrigerator and freezer for these recalled meals and throw them out if you have them,” says James E. Rogers, PhD, director of food safety and testing at CR. Consumers who have purchased a product involved in the recall should destroy it or return it to the place of purchase for a refund.
For ready-to-eat foods not otherwise recalled, the surest way to stay safe, says Rogers, is to heat them to 165° F, which kills listeria. Check for that temperature using a food thermometer, Rogers says.
