Kroger Recalls Pasta Salads Over Listeria Contamination Risk

(RTTNews) - Kroger Co. (KR) announced a voluntary recall of its Basil Pesto Bowtie Salad and Smoked Mozzarella Penne Salad due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. These products were sold in the deli departments—both full-service counters and Grab-n-Go packages—across 1,860 Kroger Family of Stores in the states of Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, and West Virginia.

The recall was initiated after Fresh Creative Foods, the supplier of the salad kits, informed Kroger that Nate's Fine Foods, the manufacturer of the pasta ingredient, had issued a recall due to possible Listeria contamination.

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, especially in young children, elderly individuals, and those with weakened immune systems. While healthy individuals may experience short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, the infection poses a significant risk to pregnant women, potentially leading to miscarriages or stillbirths. As of now, no illnesses or injuries have been reported in connection with these products.

The affected Basil Pesto Bowtie Pasta Salad was sold between September 6 and October 2, 2025, and the Smoked Mozzarella Penne Salad between August 29 and October 2, 2025. These items were available under various Kroger banners including Kroger, Baker's, City Market, Dillons, Fred Meyer, Fry's, Gerbes, King Soopers, Payless, Ralphs, and Smith's. Kroger has removed the products from store shelves and activated its customer recall notification system, which alerts shoppers via register receipt messages and email.

Customers who purchased these salads are advised not to consume them and should return them to the store for a full refund or replacement. For any questions or concerns, Kroger's customer service can be reached at 1-800-KROGERS, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. ET, and Saturday through Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET.