Whenever a company has to issue a recall on a product, whether it’s a food or a household item, it risks its reputation. However, companies are required by law to issue recall announcements if there is a risk of illness or injury to the public.
In that case, the recall is considered “mandatory,” such as the recent massive Costco recall of Kirkland-branded prosecco. The huge recall was issued because the bottles were exploding, putting consumers at risk of injury.
Sometimes the recalls are voluntary, such as many food recalls that happen where there is potential for contamination with an allergen (typically gluten or nuts) or even bacterial contamination, such as with the most recent Kroger recall.
Kroger is voluntarily recalling Basil Pesto Bowtie Salad and Smoked Mozzarella Penne Salad sold through its deli operations. The company made the announcement on October 4, in response to a supplier-initiated recall tied to possible contamination of a pasta ingredient with listeria.
Products affected:
The recall covers two varieties of deli pasta salad, sold both in full-service and grab-and-go deli formats:
Product name: Basil Pesto Bowtie Pasta Salad
Product UPC Codes: 217573-10000 / 217573-20000
Dates Sold: September 6, 2025 to October 2, 2025
Product name: Smoked Mozzarella Penne Salad
Product UPC Codes: 227573-10000 / 227573-20000
Dates Sold: August 29, 2025 to October 2, 2025
The affected items were distributed and sold across several states under the Kroger family of banners, including but not limited to AK, AZ, CA, CO, IL, IN, MI, MO, NV, OH, OR, TX, and WA.
The recall impacts approximately 1,860 Kroger-family stores operating under banners such as Kroger, Fred Meyer, Ralphs, King Soopers, Smith’s, Dillons, and others.
Reason for the latest Kroger recall
The recall stems from a notification the supplier Fresh Creative Foods received from its pasta ingredient supplier, Nate’s Fine Foods, based in Roseville, Calif. That supplier identified possible listeria contamination in the bowtie (and later penne) pasta component.
Because the contaminated pasta was used in the deli salads, Kroger is proactively pulling them from shelves.
Related: Costco issues urgent recall on popular viral snack
Listeria is a bacterium that can cause serious illness, particularly in vulnerable populations (pregnant women, the elderly, and immunocompromised people). In otherwise healthy individuals it may cause fever, headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
Kroger states that no illnesses or injuries have been reported to date.
Action taken by Kroger:
- Kroger has removed all affected product units from its deli shelves and grab-and-go displays.
- The company is using customer-notification systems, including alerts via register receipt messaging and emails to customers who may have purchased affected items.
- Kroger encourages customers who purchased the recalled salads not to consume them, even if they look normal, and instead return them to any Kroger store for a full refund or replacement.
What Kroger customers should do
If you purchased one of the cited pasta salads during the listing dates, do not eat it. Return it to a Kroger (or affiliated store) deli department to request a refund or exchange. If you believe you’ve become ill after consuming the product, contact a medical provider promptly.
Pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals should be especially cautious.
While Kroger emphasizes no illnesses have been linked so far, recalls involving listeria often attract public attention and regulatory scrutiny. For Kroger, this latest recall may lead to incremental costs from the need to throw out the affected foods and issue customer refunds. It could also affect consumer confidence, especially among deli shoppers.
If you purchased these deli items from Kroger, check Kroger’s website for any extensions of this recall.
So far, the FDA and USDA have not issued a recall related to this product, but that could change.
Related: Costco urgently recalls Foster Farms product sold nationwide
