Listeria Lawsuit Update: Injuries, Recall Status, and Legal Options

Listeria monocytogenes contamination has driven a string of U.S. food recalls and outbreaks, including frozen supplemental shakes, prepared pasta meals, soft cheese and a chicken Caesar wrap. People sickened by one of these products may have a legal claim. No single lawsuit or multidistrict litigation covers Listeria generally. Litigation instead runs as individual claims and attorney investigations filed against the specific company behind each outbreak, such as Gia’s Foods, Clover Hill Dairy, FreshRealm or Lyons Magnus. The newest development is a September 2026 frozen-pasta recall with no illnesses reported yet. Several earlier outbreaks have already closed with confirmed hospitalizations and deaths.

Latest Listeria Lawsuit Updates

September 15, 2026: Gia’s Foods Recalls Bettergoods Fettuccine

Gia’s Foods recalled two lots of bettergoods Authentic Italian Lemon Alfredo Fettuccine sold nationwide at Walmart, after routine state sampling programs in Washington and Florida found the finished product might contain Listeria monocytogenes [1]. No illnesses had been reported at the time of the recall. The 22-ounce frozen trays carried lot numbers L6079C or L6080C, and the company told consumers to return the product for a full refund.

August 26, 2026: FDA Closes the Soft Cheese Outbreak

FDA closed its investigation of a multi-year requeson (soft cheese) outbreak tied to Clover Hill Dairy, reporting a final count of 15 illnesses across four states [2]. Fourteen of those people were hospitalized, and one person died. Investigators traced the outbreak strain to requeson made at the dairy’s Mechanicsville, Maryland facility and to environmental and product samples collected there during the investigation.

June 26, 2026: La Ceiba Foods Recalls Requeson

La Ceiba Foods Latin Market recalled its La Colonia and Selectos Latinos requeson sold in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., after the cheese was traced to supplier Clover Hill Dairy [3]. The recall covered products with distribution dates in May and June 2026. Consumers were told not to eat the cheese and to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

June 25, 2026: USDA Warns of Listeria in Chicken Caesar Wraps

USDA FSIS issued a public health alert for FRESH SEASONS Kitchen Chicken Caesar Wrap products shipped to Holiday convenience stores in Minnesota and Wisconsin, after routine testing found Listeria monocytogenes [4]. A formal recall was not requested because the product was already off the market by the time it was tested. No illnesses had been reported as of the alert.

June 18, 2026: Clover Hill Dairy Expands Recall to All Cheese Products

Clover Hill Dairy expanded its recall to include every cheese product manufactured at its Mechanicsville, Maryland facility, due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The expansion covered varieties of requeson, cuajada and hard cheeses while the outbreak investigation continued. Products may be relabeled under a different brand name when distributed, including KESSO, Quesos La Ricura, Izalco, De Mi Pueblo and Rio Lindo. FDA said the investigation remained ongoing as new information became available.

June 3, 2026: Clover Hill Dairy Recalls Requeson, License Suspended

Clover Hill Dairy recalled its requeson and soft ricotta cheese, and the Maryland Department of Health suspended the company’s operating license while the outbreak investigation continued [5]. State investigators in New York had already found the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes in a sample of requeson repackaged at a retail location and in an unopened 18-pound bucket supplied by the dairy.

February 12, 2026: FDA Closes the Prepared Pasta Meals Outbreak

FDA closed its investigation into a multistate outbreak tied to prepared pasta meals, including chicken fettuccine alfredo, with a final count of 28 illnesses across 19 states [6]. Of the 28 people sickened, 27 were hospitalized and seven died, including one pregnancy-related fetal loss. The investigation ran for more than a year and traced products through several retailers before closing.

September 25, 2025: A Wave of Pasta and Deli Recalls

After pasta supplier Nate’s Fine Foods recalled pre-cooked pasta linked to the outbreak strain, FreshRealm, Albertsons, Kroger, Giant Eagle, Sprouts Farmers Market and Demers Food Group each recalled their own pasta salads or prepared meals through October 9, 2025. USDA FSIS separately expanded its public health alert to add Trader Joe’s chicken fettuccine alfredo, and the case count stood at 20 illnesses in 15 states, 19 hospitalizations and 4 deaths as of September 25, 2025.

June 17, 2025: FreshRealm Recalls Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

FreshRealm recalled its Marketside and Home Chef chicken fettuccine alfredo products sold at Kroger and Walmart, after federal testing confirmed the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes in the ready-to-eat meals [7]. The products were made at FreshRealm’s California, Georgia and Indiana plants. The first public case count, published the next day, reported 17 illnesses in 13 states, with 16 hospitalizations, 3 deaths and one pregnancy-related fetal loss.

February 22, 2025: Lyons Magnus Recalls Frozen Supplemental Shakes

Lyons Magnus recalled Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial frozen supplemental shakes manufactured by Prairie Farms Dairy at its Fort Wayne, Indiana plant, after the outbreak strain was traced to the shakes [8]. The outbreak, which included cases dating back to 2018 in long-term care facilities, later closed with a final count of 42 illnesses in 21 states, 41 hospitalizations and 14 deaths.

What Is Listeria?

According to the FDA, Listeria monocytogenes is a type of disease-causing bacteria found in soil, water, sewage, rotting vegetation and animals, and it can survive and grow even under refrigeration [9]. It contaminates food during harvesting, processing or storage, and people who eat it can develop listeriosis. Past U.S. outbreaks have involved unpasteurized milk products, queso fresco-type cheeses, hot dogs, deli meats, raw sprouts and smoked seafood.

Who May Be Affected?

People who ate soft cheese or requeson, a chicken Caesar wrap, prepared pasta meals such as chicken fettuccine alfredo, or a frozen supplemental shake tied to one of the outbreaks above may be affected. Pregnant women, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems face the highest risk of severe or invasive illness, which can include pregnancy loss, premature delivery or newborn infection. Symptoms of invasive illness usually start within two weeks of eating contaminated food, though onset can take longer in some cases [10]. Whether a specific illness can be tied to one of these recalls takes an individual legal review of medical and purchase records.

Reported Injuries or Damages

Regulators have documented hospitalizations and deaths in three separate outbreaks. The prepared-pasta-meals outbreak closed with 28 illnesses, 27 hospitalizations and 7 deaths. The frozen-supplemental-shake outbreak closed with 42 illnesses, 41 hospitalizations and 14 deaths, and the soft cheese outbreak’s smaller final tally was 15 illnesses, 14 hospitalizations and 1 death. Nationally, CDC estimates about 1,250 Americans are infected with Listeria each year, with about 172 deaths – making it the fourth leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States [11]. These are regulator incident counts and national estimates, not court-adjudicated findings of causation for any single person’s illness in these outbreaks.

Recall and Regulatory Background

FDA (Gia’s Foods, Clover Hill Dairy, La Ceiba Foods, FreshRealm) and USDA FSIS recalled or flagged every product here. None of these outbreaks appears on the JPML’s pending-MDL dockets list [12]. Three related outbreaks have their own dedicated pages: the chicken Caesar wrap lawsuit, the La Colonia soft cheese lawsuit and the Rizo-Lopez cheese lawsuit.

Evidence to Preserve

Anyone who believes a recalled or outbreak-linked food made them sick should keep the following:

• Product packaging, receipts, loyalty-card or delivery records that show the product name, lot or UPC code, and the purchase date
• Photographs of the product itself, its packaging, and any portion that has not yet been thrown away
• Medical records documenting the diagnosis, laboratory testing, treatment, any hospital stay and, for a pregnancy-related illness, prenatal or newborn records
• A written timeline noting when the food was purchased, when it was eaten, and when symptoms began
• Any communications with the retailer, manufacturer, or local health department about the product or the illness

This evidence can help a lawyer connect an individual illness to a specific recall or outbreak listed on this page.

Filing Deadlines

Deadlines for filing a Listeria-related claim come from state law and can be easy to miss without careful legal guidance. How much time a person has depends on where they live and when the illness, hospitalization or related loss happened. Some states start the clock at diagnosis rather than at exposure. Missing a deadline can end a claim even when the underlying facts are strong, so anyone considering a claim should check with a lawyer promptly.

Potential Compensation

Depending on the facts, a Listeria claim may seek medical expenses such as hospitalization, diagnostic testing and rehabilitation, plus lost income and pain and suffering. In a wrongful-death claim, damages may also cover funeral costs and lost financial support. Compensation amounts vary by case. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Potential compensation is never guaranteed, and only a court or settlement can set the final number in any single matter.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are the Symptoms of a Listeria Infection?

The symptoms of a Listeria infection depend on whether it stays in the gut or spreads. Intestinal illness brings fever, muscle aches, nausea and diarrhea within about a day. Invasive illness can add headache, stiff neck, confusion or convulsions, and about 1 in 6 non-pregnant cases are fatal.

How Long Does It Take to Get Sick from Listeria?

It takes up to two weeks, and as long as ten weeks in some cases, to get sick from Listeria after eating contaminated food. Intestinal illness can start within a single day and usually clears up in one to three days.

How Is Listeria Treated?

Listeria is treated based on how serious the infection is. Most intestinal illness resolves on its own without treatment. Invasive illness – which spreads beyond the gut – is treated with antibiotics, and pregnant women or immunocompromised patients are usually treated right away to help prevent serious complications.

Can You File a Lawsuit over a Listeria Infection?

Yes, you can file a lawsuit over a Listeria infection if the illness can be tied to a specific contaminated product. Each outbreak on this page is a separate claim against the company behind it, and none has produced a public court finding of liability so far.

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Listeria Outbreak?

A company can be held liable for a Listeria outbreak if it manufactured, processed, distributed, wholesaled, retailed or served the contaminated food. Liability theories include negligence, product liability, breach of warranty or food-safety violations, and which parties and theories apply depends on the individual facts.

Can Listeria Cause Pregnancy Loss?

Yes, Listeria can cause pregnancy loss. Infection during pregnancy is often mild for the mother – sometimes just a fever or fatigue. But it can cross the placenta and lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery or a life-threatening infection in the newborn.

What Does the Research Say About Listeria Outbreaks?

Research on the Listeria outbreaks named on this page comes from FDA investigations: the prepared-pasta-meals outbreak spanned 19 states, the frozen-supplemental-shake outbreak spanned 21 states, and the soft cheese outbreak spanned 4 states, each confirmed by the agency’s closed investigation report.

References

1. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/gias-foods-inc-recalls-bettergoods-authentic-italian-lemon-alfredo-fettuccine-because-possible
2. https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-listeria-monocytogenes-soft-cheese-june-2026
3. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/la-ceiba-foods-latin-market-inc-recalls-cottage-cheese-products-because-possible-health-risk
4. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/fsis-issues-public-health-alert-ready-eat-chicken-caesar-wrap-products-may-be
5. https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/soft-cheese-06-26/investigation.html
6. https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-listeria-monocytogenes-prepared-pasta-meals-june-2025
7. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/freshrealm-recalls-chicken-fettuccine-alfredo-products-due-possible-listeria
8. https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-listeria-monocytogenes-frozen-supplemental-shakes-february-2025
9. https://www.fda.gov/food/foodborne-pathogens/listeria-listeriosis
10. https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/signs-symptoms/index.html
11. https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/about/index.html
12. https://www.jpml.uscourts.gov/sites/jpml/files/Pending_MDL_Dockets_By_Actions_Pending-September-1-2026.pdf