Federal safety regulators expanded the recall of Bettergoods pasta sold at Walmart Tuesday due to potential listeria contamination.
Look, in a big city like New York, you deal with supply chain nightmares and food recalls constantly, but it feels so distant. Here in Northwest Arkansas, when we see a brand like Bettergoods—which has roots right here in our food scene—on the shelf at the local Walmart, we want to trust what we’re putting in the freezer.
Initially, only two specific production lots of the frozen pasta were flagged. But now, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is pulling everything back. Federal inspecters say any Bettergoods frozen pasta sold at Walmart could be contaminated.
What you need to check
The company pulled these items earlier this week after initial tests showed the presence of listeria monocytogenes. In a place like Northwest Arkansas where fresh, local food is kind of the religion of how we live and eat, a safety scare hits harder than it would in some massive commercial operation miles away.
You’re going to want to dig into your freezer, though. This investigation started because of serious health concerns. Listeria is dangerous—it can cause severe illness in young children, elderly people, and people with weakened immune systems. Healthy people might just get a fever or headache, but we certainly don’t want to take that risk with dinner.
The affected products include the Bettergoods frozen pasta trays. If you have any of this in your freezer, toss it. Do not cook it, do not serve it.
This situation is a good reminder that even as our local grocery sector grows, food safety doesn’t take a holiday. Whether you’re stocking up for a big family dinner in Springdale or just a weeknight meal in Rogers, verifying your receipts is just part of the responsible shopping hustle here.
Contact information: Bettergoods has set up a webpage for consumers with questions or reporting issues.
Read the full recall details from 5News here.
Source: 5News KFSM