The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued multiple alerts about fully-cooked and ready-made food products that could pose safety hazards. Here’s what to know.
Corn Dogs and Other Meats-on-Sticks
Hillshire Brands has recalled roughly 58 million pounds of corn dogs, breakfast sausages on sticks, and similar sausage products after receiving multiple complaints from consumers about wood pieces, according to a September 27 announcement from the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
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Five people reported being injured from eating the recalled products, which were sold under the Jimmy Dean and State Fair brands.
The recalled products were sold nationwide, and have the establishment number “EST-582” or “P-894” printed on the packaging. They have sell-by or best-by dates between 11/12/2025 and 6/9/2025.
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A full list of the recalled items can be found on the USDA’s website.
FSIS said it was concerned that people may still have the recalled corn dogs and breakfast sausage sticks in their refrigerators or freezers. If you have any of the recalled products, do not eat them; throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.
Deli-Made Pasta Salads at Albertsons Stores
Albertsons Companies issued a voluntary recall on September 27 of several of its store-made deli foods containing a bow tie pasta that was recalled by its manufacturer, Nate’s Fine Foods, because it may be contaminated with the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.
This type of listeria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in the very young, very old, and people with weakened immune systems. It can also lead to miscarriage or stillbirth in pregnant women.
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Albertsons recalled the following products:
- Basil Pesto Bowtie Pasta Salad
- Grilled Chicken & Basil Pasta Extra Large
- Spinach Bowtie Pasta Salad Chicken Ginger Broccoli
These pasta salads were available for purchase at the following stores: Albertsons, Albertsons Market, Amigos, Andronico’s Community Market, Carrs-Safeway, Eagle, Pak ‘N Save, Pavilions, Market Street, Randalls, Safeway, Tom Thumb, and Vons.
The recalled products were sold in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Louisiana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, United, Utah, and Wyoming. A full list of products, and the specific states where they were sold, is on the Albertson’s website.
If you have any of these items, don’t eat them; throw them away or return them to where they were purchased for a refund.
Ready-to-Eat Pasta From Trader Joe’s and Walmart
FSIS issued a public health alert on September 25 that some ready-to-eat meals from Trader Joe’s and Walmart containing a precooked pasta may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
The public health alert called out two items:
- 12-ounce packages of Marketside Linguine With Beef Meatballs and Marinara Sauce, sold at Walmart, with “Best if Used By” dates between September 22 and October 1, 2025, and the establishment number “EST. 50784” or “EST. 47718.”
- 12-ounce packages of Trader Joe’s Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettuccine Alfredo, with “Best if Used By” dates 9/20/2025, 9/24/2025, and 9/27/2025, and the establishment number “P-45288.”
The alert did not specify states where the affected pasta was sold.
FSIS said one of the companies tested its premade pasta ingredients as part of an ongoing listeria investigation tied to Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo that began in June. As of September 26, that outbreak was linked to 20 illnesses, including 19 hospitalizations and 4 deaths.
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FSIS said the above items should not be eaten. The pasta dishes should be thrown away or returned to where they were purchased.
Listeria-contamined food can lead to an infection known as listeriosis. Healthy children and younger adults rarely get sick from listeriosis. Mild listeriosis — which can cause fever, diarrhea, or other stomach problems — gets better without treatment.
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Adults over 60, people with weakened immune systems, and pregnant people are the most likely to get seriously ill from listeria.
If listeriosis spreads beyond the gut, it’s called invasive listeriosis. During pregnancy, invasive listeriosis can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn.
In other high-risk groups, invasive listeriosis can cause serious illness or death.
Invasive listeriosis can cause the following symptoms:
- Fever
- Muscle aches
- Headache
- Stiff neck
- Confusion
- Loss of balance
- Seizures
Sometimes these symptoms occur after diarrhea or other stomach distress.
If you’re in a high risk group and you experience flu-like symptoms within two months of eating potentially contaminated food, you should get medical care and explain your potential exposure.
