FDA and CDC Investigate Dangerous Listeria Outbreak Linked to Cheese
In March, Vulto Creamery expanded its recall to include all of its cheese products currently in the market, including the following cheeses: Andes, Blue Blais, Hamden, Heinennellie, Ouleout, Miranda, Willowemoc, and Walton Umber. These cheeses were sold nationwide. The reason for this recall is that the company’s cheese contains the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, which can cause illness and death.
The Dangers of Listeria
Listeriosis, which is an infection caused by Listeria monocytogenes, can lead to serious illness, particularly in children, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems. Symptoms of Listeriosis include fever, muscle aches, chills, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal issues. One of the major issues with Listeriosis is that it can lead to dehydration. It is also highly dangerous in pregnant women. While the expectant mothers may not become ill, this bacteria can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature labor, and serious illness or death in newborns.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state about 1,600 individuals are infected by listeria each year and about 260 die from it. As a result of the current Vulto Creamery recalled products, six individuals throughout four states have become ill. All six have had to be hospitalized and two of these individuals have died. The victims of the foodborne illness range in ages from younger than one year old to 89.
What Should You Do?
If you have any of these products in your home, dispose of them immediately. Do not eat them, even if you have already started to eat them and feel fine. After you have thrown the cheese away, you should thoroughly clean and disinfect your refrigerator, kitchen, and utensils. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends washing the inside walls and shelves of your refrigerator, counters, cutting boards, and any utensils you used with the cheese with soap and water and then sanitize them with a bleach solution. You should use one tablespoon of chlorine bleach per one gallon of hot water.
Your Rights if You Suffered from Listeriosis
If you became sick and were hospitalized due to Listeria from a food product, you may have the right to recover compensation for your injuries through a defective product claim. It is a product designer and maker’s responsibility to create a safe product, including one that is not contaminated with bacteria that can cause illness and death. Through a defective product claim, you may be able to recover compensation for:
- Medical costs;
- Loss of earning capacity;
- Pain and suffering; and
- Mental anguish.
A New Braunfels Defective Product Lawyer Can Help
As a consumer, you have the right to purchase safe products. If you buy a product and use it as it was intended, such as eating a cheese you bought at the store, yet you become sick because from it, then you have been injured by a defective product. This injury may give you the right to bring a lawsuit against the responsible party. To learn more, contact the New Braunfels personal injury lawyers of the Bettersworth Law Firm.
Source:
https://www.fda.gov/Food/RecallsOutbreaksEmergencies/Outbreaks/ucm545787.htm
