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A recall of frozen pasta sold nationwide in Walmart stores has been classified as the FDA‘s highest risk category.
The original recall was issued last month and updated last week, but wasn’t given its Class I status until Tuesday.
A Class I recall indicates ‘a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.’
Gias Foods of New York recalled two lots of its bettergoods Authentic Italian Lemon Alfredo Fettuccine, which was distributed to Walmart stores nationwide, over fears it may have been contaminated with the deadly bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.
The recall applied to the frozen pasta packaged in 22-ounce yellow plastic bags, with UPC number 194346442706 and lot numbers L6079C or L6080C.
The products have an expiration date of September 19 or September 20, 2027.
The recall was the result of a routine sampling program conducted by Washington State Department of Agriculture and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
The routine sampling revealed the finished products may contain the bacteria.
The pasta product was distributed to Walmart stores nationwide
Gias Foods stopped distribution of the product as it and the FDA investigate the cause of the potential contamination.
Officials are urging customers to not consume the product and either discard it or return it to the place of purchase.
As of the October 1 update, no illnesses have been reported in connection to the recall.
Listeria monocytogenes are bacteria that cause listeriosis.
Listeria can be found in moist environments, soil, water, decaying vegetation and animals, and can survive refrigeration and other food preservation measures.
Many foods can harbor the bug, but it is usually found in unpasteurized milk, soft cheeses and ready-to-eat foods, such as pre-packed sandwiches.
Cooked shellfish, cured meats and fish, including sushi and pre-cut fruit, are also a risk.
While most of the 1,250 Americans infected with listeria each year recover on their own, the infection can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.
It can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
About 250 Americans die of the infection each year, which can occur if the infection spreads beyond the gut and affects the central nervous system.
