29 People in 12 States Suffer from E.Coli Infection After Consuming Contaminated Nut Butter

 Posted on April 07, 2017 in E. Coli

In a recent blog post, we discussed the E.Coli outbreak that affected 12 victims in five states who had consumed nut butters and granola products produced by The SoyNut Butter Company. By the end of March 2017, the number of people impacted by the E.Coli outbreak had risen to 29. The victims were in 12 states: Oregon, California, Washington, Arizona, Maryland, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Missouri, Illinois, Florida, Virginia, and Massachusetts. The people affected ranged from 1 to 57 years of age, with a median age of 8. 59% of the people affected were male. No deaths were reported in conjunction with this outbreak, but 12 victims were hospitalized and of these individuals, nine developed hemolytic uremic syndrome.

Food poisoning can have serious repercussions for victims. Hemolytic uremic syndrome is a form of kidney failure that can result in stroke, coma, and heart problems. Other forms of food poisoning can have permanent repercussions as well, such as permanent organ damage.

FDA Halts Distribution of Potentially-Affected Nut Butter

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suspended Dixie Dew Products, Inc.'s registration to sell or distribute food products following an inspection of the manufacturer's facility in Kentucky. The inspection found “insanitary (sic) conditions at the firm that could affect the safety of finished products,” according to the FDA. Dixie Dew was the company that manufactured I.M. Healthy's nut butter products, which were linked to the E.Coli outbreak.

The FDA issued multiple recalls for the individual products in the I.M. Healthy line. Individuals who have these products in their homes and workplaces are urged to throw them away regardless of the printed expiration dates on the products to avoid contracting E.Coli. Nut butters and other shelf-stable condiments can be particularly dangerous for food poisoning risks because they tend to remain on shelves for prolonged periods of time, rather than being tossed away once their expiration dates come regardless of their spoilage, which often happens with dairy and meat products.

Lawsuits Following Food Poisoning Outbreak

At least four lawsuits have been filed in federal court following the E.Coli outbreak. At least one of these is a class action lawsuit, a claim made by a group of individuals suffering from the same type of injury. Not all personal injury claims are settled in court, but this is an option for claimants who cannot settle their cases with the negligent parties' insurance providers.

Work with an Experienced Libertyville Food Poisoning Lawyer

If you are suffering from the complications of food poisoning because of another party's negligence, you could be entitled to recover monetary compensation for your damages through a personal injury claim. To learn more about filing and pursuing a personal injury claim for a food poisoning incident, contact our team of experienced food poisoning lawyers at Newland & Newland, LLP to schedule your initial consultation in our office. We serve clients in the Arlington Heights, Palatine, Rolling Meadows, Libertyville, Mundelein, Buffalo Grove, Schaumburg, Elk Grove, and Itasca areas.

(image courtesy of Alisa Anton)