Gias Foods has issued a nationwide recall of its bettergoods Authentic Italian Lemon Alfredo Fettuccine, sold at Walmart stores across the country, after routine testing found the frozen pasta may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

What to check

The recalled pasta comes in 22-ounce yellow plastic packages with UPC 194346442706. Only two lots are affected, marked L6079C or L6080C, with expiration dates of 09/19/2027 or 09/20/2027 printed on the back. No illnesses have been reported so far.

The contamination was first flagged after routine sampling by the Washington State Department of Agriculture and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services detected the bacteria in finished product. Gias Foods says it has stopped distributing the pasta while it and the FDA investigate the cause.

Why Listeria is taken seriously

Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes doesn’t always look, smell, or taste off, which makes recalls like this one easy to miss. Symptoms of listeriosis can include fever, muscle aches, nausea, and headache, and can take up to 70 days to appear after exposure. Pregnant women, older adults, young children, and people with weakened immune systems face the highest risk of serious illness.

If you have either recalled lot in your freezer, don’t eat it — throw it away or return it to Walmart for a refund. Anyone who has eaten the product and develops symptoms should contact a doctor and mention possible Listeria exposure.