Tainted Cucumbers And Salmonella: First Federal Lawsuit Is Filed After Latest Outbreak
A woman living in Minnesota has become the first victim of this year’s Salmonella outbreak to file a federal lawsuit after being infected by a batch of tainted cucumbers, reports NBC7 San Diego.
Poisoned and hospitalized as a result of Salmonella contracted by consuming the tainted cucumbers, Kathleen R. Dvergsten is suing importer and distributor Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce Inc, after U.S. authorities traced the outbreak back to the California food company.
Dvergsten was admitted to hospital in August where she stayed for five days, and experienced severe cramping, vomiting, nausea, fever, and chronic diarrhea. Hospital tests later confirmed her to be positive for the outbreak strain.
Food Safety News reports that Dvergsten is being represented by Marler Clarksville, a Seattle-based food safety law firm. Managing Partner Bill Marler underlined the seriousness of the outbreak, and warned it could get worse.
“One person has died eating what is usually a healthy food and hundreds have been sickened so far. As these cucumbers were sold to restaurants and home cooks, it’s possible the number of illnesses will rise.”
The cucumber outbreak is subject to ongoing investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, CDP, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, after it spread across 27 states in North America.
Focus of the inquiry has centered around Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce, and their Mexican-based producer Rancho Don Juanito where the cucumbers were grown and packed.
There have been 285 confirmed cases linked to the cucumbers, with 160 people being hospitalized and one fatality in California. Fifty-four percent of those infected have been younger than 18 years of age.
Speaking to NBC7, David Murray, a partner in Andrew & Williamson, said the company had voluntarily recalled all cucumbers it believed could be contaminated.
“We issued a voluntary recall, working with federal and state authorities, we contacted all of our customers all harvest and packing operations at this facility have been stopped. We are taking every precaution to remove this product from the market and if consumers are concerned, they should dispose of the product or bring the product back to the store where it was purchased.”
There have been three major outbreaks in the last three years caused by Salmonella-tainted cucumbers, which in total have infected 644 people and left two dead.
Approximately 1.4 million cases of Salmonella occur each year in the U.S. with 95 percent caused by tainted food, and a small number of people can experience ongoing symptoms after contracting the virus such as joint pain, which can lead to chronic arthritis.
The number of reported cases in this year’s cucumber outbreak by state is : Alaska (8), Arizona (60), Arkansas (6), California (51), Colorado (14), Idaho (8), Illinois (5), Kansas (1), Louisiana (3), Minnesota (12), Missouri (7), Montana (11), Nebraska (2), Nevada (7), New Mexico (15), New York (4), North Dakota (1), Ohio (2), Oklahoma (5), Oregon (3), South Carolina (6), Texas (9), Utah (30), Virginia (1), Washington (9), Wisconsin (2), and Wyoming (3).
[Image by Joern Pollex via Getty Images]
