Meal Replacement-linked Salmonella Outbreak Spreads to 15 States

 Posted on March 04, 2016 in Food poisoning attorney

In an earlier blog post, we discussed the Salmonella virchow outbreak linked to Garden of Life meal replacement shakes. Since the time of that blog post, the number of people affected by the outbreak has risen to 18 and spread across 15 states.

Dangerous strains of bacteria that cause food poisoning are not always easy to contain. Sometimes, it is because it is difficult to find the source of the bacteria and other times it is because more foods or products were affected by the bacteria than initially thought. In this case, Garden of Life had to expand its product recall to include more products after people continued to fall ill after its initial recall. The first recall was made in January 2016, followed by an expanded recall in mid-February. The first case of Salmonella linked to Garden of Life's products was reported in Otero County, New Mexico. Since then, reports of illnesses linked to the shake powder have come in from Oregon, Minnesota, Texas, Utah, Oklahoma, Florida, Tennessee, Ohio, North Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.

Outbreak Facts

This outbreak of Salmonella virchow has caused 18 people to become ill. Other facts about this outbreak to note include:

• No deaths have been reported;
• Victims have ranged in age from one year to 75 years old;
• 12 victims have reported their medical information to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), of whom 33 percent were hospitalized as a result of their illness and its complications;
• 56% of the victims of this outbreak are male; and
• The median age of people affected is 34.

All of the individuals interviewed by the CDC reported consuming Garden of Life RAW products in the week prior to their falling ill. As of the middle of February 2016, there could potentially be more victims who have yet to become ill or report their illnesses.

With food poisoning cases, it can be difficult to get a full understanding of the scope of an outbreak. This is because many victims do not report their symptoms to governing agencies like the CDC, especially if their symptoms are not severe enough to warrant medical attention. In most cases, salmonella poisoning causes symptoms like nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. In otherwise healthy individuals, these symptoms generally resolve themselves within a few days' time and merely cause some discomfort and inconvenience.

Work With an Illinois Food Poisoning Attorney

If you have fallen ill after consuming a packaged product like a meal replacement shake or protein bar, you could be entitled to recover monetary compensation through a food poisoning claim. Food poisoning claims are a type of personal injury claim and with one, you can recover compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses associated with your illness. To learn more about this process, contact our team of experienced food poisoning claim attorneys at Newland & Newland, LLP today to schedule your free legal consultation. We are now located in the prestigious 180 N. LaSalle St. building, suite 3700.