The recall was first announced in September 2025 and expanded in October 2025. In February 2026, CDC closed the broader prepared-pasta Listeria outbreak investigation after 28 illnesses, 27 hospitalizations, seven deaths, and one pregnancy-associated fetal loss were reported; those outbreak totals should not be attributed specifically to Albertsons products.
Quick Facts
- Products: Albertsons Companies store-made bowtie pasta salads and related deli meals
- Hazard: Possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination from recalled pasta
- Distribution: Multiple Albertsons banners across 15 states
- Albertsons-specific illness status: No injuries or adverse reactions reported in the recall notice
Latest Albertsons Pasta Salad Recall and Outbreak Developments
February 2026
February 12, 2026 – CDC announced that the broader multistate Listeria outbreak involving prepared pasta meals was over. Investigators reported 28 illnesses in 19 states, 27 hospitalizations, seven deaths, and one pregnancy-associated fetal loss, and concluded that epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback evidence showed contaminated prepared pasta meals made people sick.
[1]
February 12, 2026 – CDC stated that recalled foods connected with the outbreak were no longer available for sale. The agency’s outbreak totals cover the broader prepared-pasta investigation and should not be read as an illness count specific to Albertsons pasta salads.
[1]
October 2025
October 2, 2025 – FDA posted Albertsons Companies’ expanded recall notice covering additional store-made deli products containing recalled pasta. The update extended sell-through dates for several bowtie pasta salads and added additional pasta products sold in Alaska.
[2]
September 2025
September 30, 2025 – FDA posted Albertsons Companies’ original voluntary recall of select store-made bowtie pasta salads and meals because they contained a recalled pasta ingredient manufactured by Nate’s Fine Foods and supplied through Fresh Creative Foods.
[3]
What Is the Albertsons Pasta Salad Recall?
The recall involves several store-made deli salads and meals containing bowtie pasta supplied by Fresh Creative Foods, a division of Reser’s Fine Foods. The pasta ingredient was manufactured by Nate’s Fine Foods of Roseville, California.
Albertsons Companies recalled the products because the pasta ingredient was subject to a separate recall for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
The affected products were sold under numerous Albertsons Companies store banners rather than under one single product label.
Which Albertsons Pasta Salads Were Recalled?
The recalled deli items included multiple pesto, basil pesto, spinach, and other pasta salads as well as certain prepared meals. Product names included:
- Ready Meals Pesto Bowtie Pasta Salad
- Basil Pesto Bowtie Pasta Salad
- Ready Meals Basil Pesto Bowtie Salad
- Ready Meals Spinach Bowtie Pasta Salad
- Ready Meals Basil Bowtie Pasta Salad
- Grilled Chicken & Basil Pasta Extra Large
- Smoked Mozzarella Penne Salad Kit
- ReadyMeals Smoked Mozzarella Penne Pasta Salad
The recall used UPCs, sell-through dates, store banners, and states to identify affected products. Consumers should compare their packaging or purchase records with the FDA recall tables rather than relying on the product name alone.
A separate
Kroger pasta salad recall also involved possible Listeria contamination in deli pasta salad.
Why Were the Albertsons Pasta Salads Recalled?
The products were recalled because they contained pasta from Nate’s Fine Foods that may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
A separate
bettergoods Lemon Alfredo Fettuccine recall also involved possible Listeria contamination in ready-to-eat pasta.
FDA later reported that pasta from Nate’s Fine Foods was part of the broader prepared-meal Listeria investigation. Testing found Listeria in pasta used in prepared meals, and whole genome sequencing connected contaminated pasta with the outbreak strain.
[4]
Were Illnesses Reported From the Albertsons Products?
Albertsons Companies’ recall notice stated that no injuries or adverse reactions had been reported from consumption of the recalled products at the time of the announcement.
[2]
That statement is distinct from the larger multistate prepared-pasta outbreak. CDC ultimately reported 28 illnesses and seven deaths across the broader outbreak, but its February 2026 update does not assign all of those illnesses to Albertsons deli products.
[1]
What Is Listeria monocytogenes?
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that can cause listeriosis, a potentially serious foodborne infection. The illness can be especially dangerous for pregnant women, newborns, adults age 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems.
CDC states that symptoms of invasive listeriosis can include fever, muscle aches, fatigue, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. Symptoms commonly begin within about two weeks of eating contaminated food but can appear sooner or much later.
[5]
Why Is Listeria Dangerous During Pregnancy?
Pregnant women may have relatively mild symptoms while the infection causes serious pregnancy complications. CDC warns that Listeria can cause pregnancy loss, premature birth, or a life-threatening infection in a newborn.
[5]
The broader prepared-pasta outbreak included one pregnancy-associated illness that resulted in fetal loss. That case is part of the overall outbreak data and is not identified by CDC as specifically involving an Albertsons pasta salad.
Where Were the Recalled Albertsons Pasta Salads Sold?
The recalled products were sold through Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Albertsons Market, Amigos, Market Street, Carrs-Safeway, Eagle, Andronico’s Community Markets, Pak ‘N Save, and United stores.
FDA listed affected stores in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Louisiana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.
[2]
What Should Consumers Do With Recalled Pasta Salad?
Albertsons Companies instructed consumers not to eat recalled products. Affected items could be discarded or returned to the local store for a full refund.
FDA also advised consumers to clean and sanitize containers and surfaces that contacted recalled foods because Listeria can survive under refrigeration and spread to other foods and surfaces.
[2]
Who May Be Affected?
Consumers who purchased one of the affected deli salads or meals during the listed sell-through periods may have had a recalled product.
People who later developed medically documented listeriosis may want to preserve receipts, product labels, photographs, medical records, laboratory results, and information showing when and where the food was purchased and eaten.
What Evidence May Matter in an Albertsons Pasta Salad Claim?
- The original product label or container
- UPC and sell-through date photographs
- Store receipts or loyalty-account purchase records
- Medical records and laboratory testing
- Documentation of hospitalization or treatment
- Information showing when the product was eaten
Foodborne-illness claims can depend heavily on establishing both exposure to the recalled food and a medically supported connection between that exposure and the illness.
Who May Be Liable for a Listeria-Contaminated Pasta Injury?
Potential liability depends on the facts and applicable law. Food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, processors, distributors, retailers, or other parties in the supply chain may potentially be evaluated when contaminated food allegedly causes illness.
Possible legal theories may include negligence, defective food products, breach of warranty, or other state-law claims. A recall does not by itself establish civil liability against Albertsons Companies, Fresh Creative Foods, Nate’s Fine Foods, or another company.
Current Albertsons Pasta Salad Lawsuit and Recall Status
The principal documented public-health actions are the 2025 Albertsons recalls and the broader prepared-pasta Listeria outbreak investigation that CDC declared over on February 12, 2026.
The CDC and FDA sources cited here do not announce a nationwide class action, multidistrict litigation proceeding, or coordinated personal-injury settlement involving Albertsons pasta salads.
Individual illness claims may still warrant review when a consumer has medically documented listeriosis and evidence connecting the illness with an affected product.
Do I Qualify for an Albertsons Pasta Salad Claim?
- Did you eat a recalled Albertsons Companies bowtie pasta salad or related deli meal?
- Did your product match an affected UPC and sell-through date?
- Were you later diagnosed with listeriosis or hospitalized for related symptoms?
- Can you document your purchase, medical care, or laboratory testing?
Answering yes to one or more questions does not automatically establish a lawsuit. An attorney can review the recalled food, purchase records, medical diagnosis, laboratory results, and applicable filing deadlines to determine whether further investigation may be appropriate.
Legal Process for an Albertsons Pasta Salad Claim
- Free case review. An attorney reviews the recalled product, illness, medical treatment, and available records.
- Investigation. Evidence may include product labels, store receipts, loyalty records, medical records, laboratory findings, and FDA or CDC information.
- Filing. If the evidence and applicable law support a claim, a foodborne-illness lawsuit may be filed against one or more potentially responsible parties.
- Discovery/negotiation. The parties may exchange records, obtain testimony, consult medical or food-safety experts, and discuss possible resolution.
- Resolution. A case may conclude through settlement, dismissal, court ruling, or trial depending on its facts and procedural history.
Compensation in a Listeria Foodborne Illness Case
Depending on the circumstances, a claim may seek damages for hospitalization, medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, pregnancy-related losses, and other damages permitted under applicable law.
Compensation amounts vary by case. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
Important Albertsons Pasta Salad Recall Developments
| Event |
Month/Year |
Type |
Status |
Source |
Notes |
| Prepared Pasta Outbreak Closed |
February 2026 |
CDC Outbreak Update |
Outbreak over |
[1] |
28 illnesses, seven deaths |
| Albertsons Recall Expanded |
October 2025 |
FDA-Posted Recall |
Expanded |
[2] |
Additional deli products |
| Initial Albertsons Recall |
September 2025 |
FDA-Posted Recall |
Announced |
[3] |
Bowtie pasta products |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Albertsons Pasta Salad Lawsuit?
The Albertsons Pasta Salad Lawsuit topic concerns potential individual claims involving recalled store-made pasta salads and meals that contained pasta subject to a Listeria recall. Any claim would depend on product identification, medical evidence, causation, and applicable law.
Why were Albertsons pasta salads recalled?
The recalled products contained pasta supplied through Fresh Creative Foods that was manufactured by Nate’s Fine Foods. That pasta was recalled because of possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
Which Albertsons stores sold the recalled pasta salads?
Affected products were sold under multiple banners, including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Carrs-Safeway, United, and others. FDA identified distribution across 15 states.
Were illnesses reported specifically from Albertsons pasta salads?
The Albertsons recall notice stated that no injuries or adverse reactions had been reported from the recalled products at the time of the announcement. The larger prepared-pasta outbreak ultimately involved 28 illnesses, but CDC did not attribute all of those cases specifically to Albertsons products.
How many people became sick in the broader prepared-pasta outbreak?
CDC reported 28 illnesses in 19 states, 27 hospitalizations, and seven deaths when it closed the outbreak investigation in February 2026. One pregnancy-associated illness resulted in fetal loss.
What are the symptoms of Listeria infection?
Symptoms can include fever, muscle aches, fatigue, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. Pregnant women may have milder symptoms while still facing serious pregnancy complications.
What should I do with recalled Albertsons pasta salad?
Do not eat an affected product. Albertsons advised consumers to throw it away or return it to the local store for a full refund.
Can I file an Albertsons Pasta Salad Lawsuit?
A consumer who developed medically documented listeriosis after eating an affected Albertsons pasta product may warrant individual legal review. A recall or outbreak investigation does not itself establish liability, and any claim depends on exposure evidence, diagnosis, causation, damages, and applicable law.
Do I Have an Albertsons Pasta Salad Lawsuit?
If you or a loved one developed a serious Listeria infection after eating recalled Albertsons pasta salad or another affected deli meal, you may have legal options. Contact Schmidt & Clark for a free case review.
Start My Free Case Review
References
[1] https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/chicken-fettuccine-alfredo-06-25/investigation.html
[2] https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/update-albertsons-companies-voluntarily-recalls-select-store-made-deli-items-containing-bowtie-pasta
[3] https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/albertsons-companies-voluntarily-recalls-select-store-made-deli-items-containing-bowtie-pasta
[4] https://www.fda.gov/safety/major-product-recalls/2025-recalls-prepared-pasta-meals-frozen-and-ready-eat-due-potential-listeria-monocytogenes
[5] https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/chicken-fettuccine-alfredo-06-25/index.html
