Class I U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Giant Eagle Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad recall: Potential listeria monocytogenes contamination

Recall published 1+ years ago

Potential listeria monocytogenes contamination

Giant Eagle Fresh produce — recalled fresh produceGiant Eagle Fresh produce — recalled fresh produce (photo 2)Giant Eagle Fresh produce — recalled fresh produce (photo 3)Giant Eagle Fresh produce — recalled fresh produce (photo 4)
4 photos published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration with the recall notice.

The hazard: Listeria contamination

Listeria is the reason this product was pulled, and it is the one food hazard where "it is still in date and it smells fine" tells you nothing at all.

What the notice says: Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems.

Why it matters: Listeria monocytogenes is unusual among foodborne bacteria because it keeps growing at refrigerator temperature. A contaminated pack does not become safer for sitting in the cold, and it will look, smell and taste completely normal.

Symptoms and when to call a doctor

Listeriosis is mild or silent in most healthy adults, but it is serious for pregnant people, newborns, adults over 65 and anyone whose immune system is suppressed. The CDC describes intestinal illness as diarrhoea and vomiting, and invasive illness as fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance or convulsions. In pregnancy it can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or infection in the newborn even when the parent feels only mildly unwell. Symptoms can start within a day or not appear for weeks, so tell any doctor you see that you ate a recalled product and give them the date.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you feel unwell, a clinician who can see you is the only person able to judge your case.

Recall details

Recall number
H-0085-2026, H-0086-2026, H-0087-2026
Published
October 3, 2025
Risk level
Class I
Status
Terminated
Issued by
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Brand
Giant Eagle
Product type
Fresh produce
Units affected
486.65 lbs; 27 lbs; 16 lbs
Distribution
Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania
Sold at
Giant Eagle
Lot / code info
Packed On: Oct 02, 25 Sell By: Oct 07, 25 — Packed On: Oct 02, 25 Sell By: Oct 03, 25
UPC codes
256616000000, 246511000000, 246512000000
Reports of harm
There have been no reports of illness associated with Giant Eagle’s recall to date.

Products covered by this recall

Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad

What the company announced

PITTSBURGH – Giant Eagle, Inc., has issued a voluntary recall of “Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad” sold in the prepared foods departments of its Giant Eagle and Market District locations across western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland and Indiana due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination. This recall is in response to a nationwide recall of ready-to-eat pasta originating from Nate’s Fine Foods.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

There have been no reports of illness associated with Giant Eagle’s recall to date. The recalled “Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad” was sold starting on September 25, 2025. Additional product details include:

  • Product Name: Smoked Mozzarella Penne Salad · Weight: Varies · Expiration Date: 9/30/25 through 10/7/25 · UPC: 256616000000
  • Product Name: Smoked Mozzarella Penne Salad- Small · Weight: 4 lbs 8 oz · Expiration Date: 9/30/25 through 10/3/25 · UPC: 246511000000
  • Product Name: Smoked Mozzarella Penne Salad- Large · Weight: 9 lbs · Expiration Date: 9/30/25 through 10/3/25 · UPC: 246512000000

Customers who have purchased the affected product should not consume it and should dispose of it and return a qualifying receipt to their local Giant Eagle or Market District for a refund. Customers with questions may call Giant Eagle Customer Care at 1-800-553-2324 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST.

In addition to this public communication regarding this recall, Giant Eagle also initiated its consumer recall telephone notification process. The consumer recall process uses purchase data and consumer telephone numbers housed in the myPerks loyalty card database to alert those households that purchased the affected product and have updated telephone contact information in Giant Eagle’s database.

FDA Outbreak Advisory

Reproduced from the company announcement posted on fda.gov. Links and contact forms in the original are not repeated here; the official notice below has them.

Check your product

The notice names 15 codes you can read straight off the package. Type the one printed on yours and the list below narrows to it.

UPC / barcode

Read the twelve digits under the barcode on the package.

  • 256616000000
  • 246511000000
  • 246512000000

Best-by / use-by date

Printed beside the lot code, not on the price sticker.

  • 9/30/25
  • 10/7/25
  • 10/3/25
  • Oct 07
  • 25
  • Oct 03

Package size

Match the net weight or the piece count on the front of the pack.

  • 4 lbs
  • 8 oz
  • 9 lbs
  • 486.65 lbs
  • 27 lbs
  • 16 lbs

Codes are lifted verbatim from the FDA — Company recall announcements notice. A code that is missing here may still be covered — the official notice is the complete list.

What to do about Listeria

Giant Eagle — Listeria is the reason this product was pulled, and it is the one food hazard where "it is still in date and it smells fine" tells you nothing at all.

  1. Do not eat it and do not open a sealed pack to inspect it — opening it only spreads the bacteria around your kitchen.
  2. Photograph the label, the lot code and the date mark before the pack leaves the house — that picture is what a refund claim runs on.
  3. Throw it out in a sealed bag, or return it to the store. Either is accepted; what matters is that nobody else eats it.
  4. Wash and then sanitise anything the food touched: the fridge shelf and drawer, chopping boards, knives, counters and your hands. Listeria colonises cold surfaces and can survive there after the food is gone.

How to get your money back

Food recalls carry a full refund, and in the United States you usually do not need the receipt or the packaging.

  • Take the product, or your photo of the label, to the customer service desk of the store where you bought it. Nearly every national grocer refunds recalled food on the spot.
  • Bought it online? Open the order in your account and use the refund option; marketplace sellers are required to honour a federal recall.
  • If the store refuses, contact the recalling company using the details on this page. The firm, not the shop, carries the cost of a recall.
  • If you have a loyalty card, the retailer can look the purchase up in your history — Kroger, Costco and Walmart all do this routinely.

Remedy named in the notice: Customers who have purchased the affected product should not consume it and should dispose of it and return a qualifying receipt to their local Giant Eagle or Market District for a refund.

Company contact: Giant Eagle, Inc. — Consumers: Giant Eagle Customer Care, 1-800-553-2324 — Media: Dan Donovan, Giant Eagle, Inc, 412.967.4551, [email protected]

The official notice

This page summarises a notice published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The agency notice is the authoritative version — read it before you act, and treat it as the final word if anything here looks different.

Open the FDA — Company recall announcements record U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalls

Questions people ask about this recall

Why was Giant Eagle fresh produce recalled?

Potential listeria monocytogenes contamination Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems.

How do I know if I have the recalled product?

Match the codes printed on your package against the notice: UPC 256616000000, 246511000000, 246512000000; best-by date 9/30/25 or 10/7/25. If the code on your package is not on that list, your unit is outside the recall.

What should I do with it right now?

Do not eat it and do not open a sealed pack to inspect it — opening it only spreads the bacteria around your kitchen.

Can I get my money back?

The notice says: Customers who have purchased the affected product should not consume it and should dispose of it and return a qualifying receipt to their local Giant Eagle or Market District for a refund.

Which states were affected?

The notice lists Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania.

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