A safety nationwide recall
Two of Kroger’s top-selling deli pasta salads, Basil Pesto Bowtie Salad and Smoked Mozzarella Penne Salad, are voluntarily being recalled by Kroger because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recall became known on October 4, 2025, when Kroger’s supplier, Fresh Creative Foods, learned that its pasta supplier, Nate’s Fine Foods of Roseville, California, had issued a recall of its bowtie and penne pasta products.
The tainted salads were sold through Kroger’s family of stores in 28 states, including Alaska, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington. The items were sold both from deli counters and in grab-and-go packages.
What products are included
The following batches and labels are included in the recall:
- Basil Pesto Bowtie Pasta Salad
- UPC: 217573-10000 (sold at deli service counters)
- UPC: 217573-20000 (grab-and-go packaging)
- Sold from September 6, 2025, through October 2, 2025
- Smoked Mozzarella Penne Salad
- UPC: 227573-10000 (both deli counter and grab-and-go)
- Sold from August 29, 2025, through October 2, 2025
These products were sold in Kroger’s many store banners, including Baker’s, City Market, Dillons, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, Gerbes, King Soopers, Payless, Ralphs, and Smith’s.
Kroger has already removed the tainted salads from all store shelves and warned customers who may have purchased them with receipt messages and email alerts.
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Knowing the health danger
The contamination is with Listeria monocytogenes, a harmful bacterium that can cause serious illness, especially in young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems.
While most healthy people would only experience mild symptoms such as fever, headache, nausea, or diarrhea, listeria infection in pregnant women could lead to miscarriage or stillbirth.
To date, there have been no illnesses or injuries reported in this recall. However, Kroger is urging customers to take the warning seriously and not eat the recalled items.
What customers should do
Anyone who purchased the recalled salads should discontinue use and dispose of the salads or take them to a neighborhood Kroger store for a full refund or replacement.
If you have a question about a potential illness, calling your healthcare provider is a good idea.
For questions or more details, customers can call Kroger’s customer service line at 1-800-KROGERS (1-800-576-4377). Representatives are on duty Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. ET, and weekends from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET.
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How the recall occurred
The issue began when Fresh Creative Foods informed Kroger on September 26, 2025, that Nate’s Fine Foods was recalling the pasta from salads because it might be listeria-contaminated. This initially affected 24 Smith’s stores in Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada.
But on October 1, Kroger received another notification that expanded the recall to include additional dates and batches, leading to the national pull-off of both deli pasta salads.
A reminder about food safety
Food recalls are alarming, but they are part of ensuring the public is healthy and safe. Listeria outbreaks are most dangerous, but Kroger’s quick removal shows the company’s responsibility in protecting customers prior to any illnesses being reported.
Kroger remains current on suppliers and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to remove all products involved from store shelves and inform customers.
About kroger
Founded in 1883, The Kroger Co. is a top grocery retailer in the United States with over 400,000 associates and millions of customers nationwide. The company says its purpose is to “Feed the Human Spirit” as it works toward #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities.
Consumers seeking more information on this recall or other future product safety announcements can visit Kroger’s newsroom or the FDA recall page.
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