Giant Eagle Pasta Salad Lawsuit Update: Injuries, Recall Status, and Legal Options

No illnesses had been reported specifically in connection with the Giant Eagle products when the recall was announced. The underlying pasta contamination became part of a broader multistate Listeria investigation that ultimately involved 28 illnesses, although federal agencies did not attribute those outbreak totals specifically to Giant Eagle’s Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad.

Quick Facts

• Product: Giant Eagle Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad and Smoked Mozzarella Penne Salad
• Hazard: Possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination
• Sales area: Giant Eagle and Market District stores in western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, and Indiana
• Illness status: No illnesses specifically associated with Giant Eagle’s recall when announced

Latest Giant Eagle Pasta Salad Recall and Outbreak Developments

February 2026

February 12, 2026 – FDA and CDC announced that the multistate Listeria outbreak involving prepared pasta meals had ended. Regulators reported 28 illnesses in 19 states, 27 hospitalizations, seven deaths, and one pregnancy-associated fetal loss during the broader outbreak investigation. [1]

The federal agencies said epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback evidence showed that prepared meals containing pasta were contaminated with the outbreak strain and caused illness. These outbreak totals apply to the broader prepared-pasta investigation and should not be interpreted as 28 illnesses caused by Giant Eagle Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad. [2]

October 2025

October 6, 2025 – FDA’s outbreak investigation update identified Giant Eagle’s Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad recall among the downstream actions involving pasta products potentially contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. [1]

October 3, 2025 – Giant Eagle voluntarily recalled Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad sold in prepared-food departments at Giant Eagle and Market District locations in western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, and Indiana. The company said the action followed a nationwide recall of ready-to-eat pasta originating from Nate’s Fine Foods, and no illnesses had been reported in connection with Giant Eagle’s recalled product. [3]

September 2025

September 30, 2025 – Nate’s Fine Foods expanded its recall of certain precooked pasta products, including fettuccine, linguine, and farfalle, after a pasta sample tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. FDA subsequently listed downstream recalls involving companies that used the affected pasta as an ingredient or repackaged it. [4]

What Is the Giant Eagle Pasta Salad Recall?

The recall involves Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad sold through Giant Eagle and Market District prepared-food departments. Giant Eagle initiated the action because pasta used in the salad was potentially contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The recalled product was sold beginning September 25, 2025. It was available at stores in western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, and Indiana.

Which Giant Eagle Pasta Salad Products Were Recalled?

The Giant Eagle recall identified three configurations of Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad:

• Smoked Mozzarella Penne Salad – variable weight – UPC 256616000000 – expiration dates September 30 through October 7, 2025
• Smoked Mozzarella Penne Salad Small – 4 pounds 8 ounces – UPC 246511000000 – expiration dates September 30 through October 3, 2025
• Smoked Mozzarella Penne Salad Large – 9 pounds – UPC 246512000000 – expiration dates September 30 through October 3, 2025

Consumers should use the UPC and expiration information when determining whether a product was part of the recall.

Why Was Giant Eagle Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad Recalled?

The recall was initiated because pasta incorporated into the salad was connected to a nationwide recall originating with Nate’s Fine Foods.

Nate’s Fine Foods had supplied precooked pasta that was subsequently used by downstream food manufacturers and retailers. Testing in the broader investigation identified Listeria monocytogenes in pasta associated with the affected supply chain.

What Was Nate’s Fine Foods’ Role?

Nate’s Fine Foods supplied precooked pasta to other companies rather than selling the affected pasta directly to retail consumers.

After contamination concerns emerged, downstream companies that had incorporated the pasta into salads, prepared meals, and other foods initiated their own recalls. Giant Eagle was one of several retailers involved in those downstream actions.

Were Any Illnesses Linked Specifically to Giant Eagle Pasta Salad?

Giant Eagle reported no illnesses associated with its Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad when the October 2025 recall was announced.

The broader prepared-pasta Listeria outbreak ultimately involved serious illnesses and deaths, but federal health agencies have not publicly attributed those totals specifically to Giant Eagle’s pasta salad.

How Large Was the Broader Listeria Outbreak?

By February 2026, federal health officials had identified 28 people infected with the outbreak strain across 19 states. Twenty-seven patients were hospitalized, seven deaths were reported, and one pregnancy-associated illness resulted in fetal loss.

Those numbers cover the entire Rizo-López Foods Listeria outbreak, a multistate prepared-pasta outbreak. They should not be presented as an illness or death count caused specifically by Giant Eagle products.

How Was the Pasta Outbreak Linked to Listeria?

Federal investigators used epidemiologic interviews, laboratory testing, product traceback, and whole genome sequencing to investigate the prepared-pasta illnesses.

FDA and CDC ultimately concluded that prepared meals containing contaminated pasta caused illnesses in the broader outbreak. The investigation included multiple recalled retail and prepared-food products rather than a single pasta salad brand.

What Is Listeria monocytogenes?

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium capable of causing listeriosis, a foodborne infection that can range from mild gastrointestinal illness to severe invasive disease.

Listeria is particularly concerning in refrigerated ready-to-eat foods because the organism can survive and grow at refrigerator temperatures.

What Are the Symptoms of Listeriosis?

Symptoms can include fever, muscle aches, fatigue, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and seizures. Some people experience intestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting.

Invasive illness occurs when the bacteria spread beyond the gastrointestinal tract and can lead to hospitalization or life-threatening complications.

Who Faces the Greatest Risk From Listeria?

Pregnant women, newborns, adults age 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems face an increased risk of severe listeriosis.

Pregnant women may experience relatively mild symptoms while infection can still lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or serious infection in a newborn.

Why Can Refrigerated Pasta Salad Remain a Risk?

Listeria can grow at refrigerator temperatures, so refrigeration does not necessarily make a contaminated ready-to-eat pasta salad safe.

Prepared salads can also remain in refrigerators for several days, increasing the chance that a recalled product could be consumed after a recall has been announced.

What Should Consumers Do With Recalled Giant Eagle Pasta Salad?

Giant Eagle instructed customers not to consume affected Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad. Consumers were directed to dispose of the product and return a qualifying receipt to Giant Eagle or Market District for a refund.

Consumers should also clean refrigerator shelves, containers, utensils, countertops, and other surfaces that may have contacted recalled food.

How Did Giant Eagle Contact Customers?

In addition to issuing its public recall announcement, Giant Eagle activated its consumer recall telephone notification system.

The company used purchase information and telephone numbers associated with its myPerks loyalty program to alert households that had purchased affected products and maintained current contact information.

What Other Pasta Products Were Recalled?

The Nate’s Fine Foods pasta issue resulted in multiple downstream recalls involving prepared salads and meals sold by retailers including Giant Eagle, Kroger, Sprouts Farmers Market, and Albertsons-affiliated stores.

The products and distribution areas differed by retailer. A consumer should therefore rely on the specific recall notice for the store and product involved rather than assuming every pasta product had identical identifiers.

Who May Be Affected?

Consumers who purchased Giant Eagle Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad during the affected sales period may have received a recalled product.

Someone who ate the salad and later developed laboratory-confirmed Listeria infection may want to preserve receipts, loyalty-card records, photographs, medical records, laboratory reports, and other documentation of the food exposure.

What Evidence May Matter in a Giant Eagle Pasta Salad Claim?

• The original container or photographs of the recalled salad
• UPC and expiration-date information
• Giant Eagle or Market District receipts
• myPerks purchase history or recall notifications
• The date and location where the salad was purchased
• Medical records documenting listeriosis
• Laboratory testing identifying Listeria

Foodborne-illness claims generally require evidence connecting the food exposure to a medically documented infection.

Purchase history, illness timing, laboratory results, and outbreak evidence can all become relevant when evaluating causation.

Who May Be Liable for a Listeria Pasta Salad Illness?

Potential liability depends on the evidence and applicable law. Ingredient suppliers, food processors, distributors, retailers, and other companies in the supply chain may potentially be evaluated when contaminated food allegedly causes illness.

Possible claims can involve negligence, defective food products, breach of warranty, or other state-law theories. A recall or broader outbreak association does not automatically establish civil liability against Giant Eagle, Nate’s Fine Foods, or another party.

Current Giant Eagle Pasta Salad Lawsuit and Recall Status

The documented federal action is the October 2025 Giant Eagle recall associated with the broader recall of precooked pasta supplied by Nate’s Fine Foods.

FDA and CDC announced in February 2026 that the broader prepared-pasta Listeria outbreak investigation was complete and the outbreak had ended.

The cited federal materials do not announce a nationwide class action, multidistrict litigation proceeding, or coordinated personal-injury settlement specifically involving Giant Eagle Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad.

Do I Qualify for a Giant Eagle Pasta Salad Claim?

• Did you eat recalled Giant Eagle Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad?
• Did you develop symptoms consistent with listeriosis after eating the product?
• Were you diagnosed with Listeria or hospitalized for a related foodborne illness?
• Can you document the purchase, exposure, laboratory testing, or medical care?

Answering yes to one or more questions does not automatically establish a lawsuit. An attorney can review the product identification, exposure history, medical evidence, outbreak data, and applicable filing deadlines to determine whether further investigation may be appropriate.

Legal Process for a Giant Eagle Pasta Salad Claim

1. Free case review. An attorney reviews the pasta salad exposure, illness, treatment, and available documentation.
2. Investigation. Evidence may include purchase records, loyalty data, medical records, laboratory findings, FDA documents, and recall information.
3. Filing. If the evidence and applicable law support a claim, a foodborne-illness lawsuit may be filed against one or more potentially responsible parties.
4. Discovery/negotiation. The parties may exchange records, obtain testimony, consult medical or food-safety experts, and discuss possible resolution.
5. 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, future medical treatment, and other damages permitted by applicable law.

Compensation amounts vary by case. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Important Giant Eagle Pasta Salad Recall Developments

Event	Month/Year	Type	Status	Source	Notes
Prepared Pasta Outbreak Ends	February 2026	FDA/CDC Investigation	Completed	[1]	Twenty-eight outbreak cases total
Giant Eagle Recall Listed	October 2025	FDA Outbreak Update	Announced	[1]	Downstream pasta recall
Giant Eagle Recall	October 2025	Food Recall	Announced	[3]	Smoked mozzarella pasta salad
Pasta Recall Expanded	September 2025	Ingredient Recall	Expanded	[4]	Nate’s pasta affected

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Giant Eagle Pasta Salad Lawsuit?

The Giant Eagle Pasta Salad Lawsuit topic concerns potential foodborne-illness claims involving recalled Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad and possible Listeria exposure. Any individual claim would depend on evidence of product exposure, medical diagnosis, causation, damages, and applicable law.

Which Giant Eagle pasta salad was recalled?

The recall involved Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad and Smoked Mozzarella Penne Salad sold through Giant Eagle and Market District prepared-food departments. Several package sizes and expiration dates were included.

Why was Giant Eagle pasta salad recalled?

The pasta used in the salad was affected by a nationwide recall involving precooked pasta from Nate’s Fine Foods. The pasta supply chain was associated with potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Were illnesses reported specifically from Giant Eagle’s pasta salad?

No illnesses had been reported specifically in connection with Giant Eagle’s recalled products when the company issued its announcement. The broader prepared-pasta outbreak later involved 28 illnesses, but those cases were not all attributed to Giant Eagle products.

How many people became sick in the broader pasta outbreak?

Federal officials ultimately reported 28 illnesses in 19 states, including 27 hospitalizations and seven deaths. One pregnancy-associated illness resulted in fetal loss.

Is the broader Listeria outbreak still active?

No. FDA and CDC announced on February 12, 2026 that the outbreak investigation was complete and the outbreak had ended.

What should I do if I still have recalled Giant Eagle pasta salad?

Do not eat it. Consumers should discard the affected salad and follow Giant Eagle’s refund instructions, while also cleaning surfaces or containers that may have contacted the product.

Can I file a Giant Eagle Pasta Salad Lawsuit?

A person who developed medically documented listeriosis after eating recalled Giant Eagle pasta salad may warrant individual legal review. The recall and broader outbreak do not themselves establish liability, and any claim depends on exposure evidence, diagnosis, causation, damages, and applicable law.

Do I Have a Giant Eagle Pasta Salad Lawsuit?

If you or a loved one developed a serious Listeria infection after eating recalled Giant Eagle Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad, you may have legal options. Contact Schmidt & Clark for a free case review.

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References

[1] https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-listeria-monocytogenes-prepared-pasta-meals-june-2025

[2] https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/chicken-fettuccine-alfredo-06-25/investigation.html

[3] https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/giant-eagle-recalls-smoked-mozzarella-pasta-salad-due-potential-listeria-monocytogenes-contamination

[4] https://www.fda.gov/safety/major-product-recalls/2025-recalls-prepared-pasta-meals-frozen-and-ready-eat-due-potential-listeria-monocytogenes