Marler Clark files Salmonella Cantaloupe Lawsuit

United States Outbreak

More patients have been identified in the Salmonella outbreak traced to cantaloupe. The outbreak is now spread across 42 states. Since the most recent update, on Dec. 7, another 72 patients have been confirmed, bringing the total number of sick people to 302. 

Of 263 people interviewed so far, half have been hospitalized. Four people have died, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The outbreak strains of Salmonella in this outbreak are particularly virulent as the pathogen generally does not cause such a high percentage of hospitalizations.

At least 40 patients resided at long-term care facilities when they got sick. Of 17 interviewed, 11 reported eating cantaloupe. Thirty children attended childcare centers when they got sick. Of 26 children with information available, 17 ate cantaloupe. The age range for patients is less than 1 to 100 years old. The outbreak is hitting young children and older adults particularly hard with 26 percent of the patients being 5 years old or younger and 48 percent being 65 years old or older.

Canadian outbreak

There is a related outbreak in Canada involving cantaloupe from the same supplier in Mexico. Recalls there also include pre-cut products.

As of Dec. 15, there have been 153 laboratory-confirmed cases of Salmonella Soahanina, Sundsvall and Oranienburg illness linked to this outbreak, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. Of patients with the information available, 53 have been hospitalized. Six patients have died.

Patients became sick between mid-October and late-November. Individuals who became ill are between less than 1 to 100 years old. The majority of the individuals who became sick are children 5 years of age or younger, 35 percent, or adults 65 years of age or older, 44 percent.

A number of recalls have been initiated. They include whole cantaloupe and a variety of pre-cut products, some with cantaloupe mixed with other fruits. 

Recalled whole cantaloupe from the following brands are:

• Whole fresh cantaloupes with a label on the cantaloupe that says “Malichita” or “Rudy,” “4050,” and “Product of Mexico/produit du Mexique.”
• Retailers and wholesalers would have received recalled whole melons from Sofia Produce doing business as TruFresh in boxes labeled “Malichita” or “Rudy,” or from Crown Jewels Produce in boxes labeled “Malichita/Z Farms,” or from Pacific Trellis in corrugated cartons with certain lot codes.

Recalled pre-cut cantaloupe and products containing pre-cut cantaloupes made from recalled whole cantaloupes are:

• ALDI cantaloupe, cut cantaloupe, and pineapple spears in clamshell packaging with Best-by dates between Oct. 27 and Oct. 31 and sold in IL, IN, IA, KY, MI, and WI.
• Vinyard cantaloupe chunks and cubes, fruit mixes, melon medleys, and fruit cups containing cantaloupe. Most have a “Vinyard” label, and some have a red label with “Fresh” sold between October 30 and November 10 in Oklahoma stores.
• Freshness Guaranteed (sold at Walmart stores) seasonal blend, melon trio, melon mix, fruit blend, fruit bowl, seasonal fruit tray, fruit mix, and cantaloupe chunks; and RaceTrac fruit medley sold in clear square or round plastic containers. Recalled products were sold at select retail stores in IN, MI, OH, KY, NC, TN, VA, IL, TX, and LA (see recall announcement for lot codes and “best by” dates).
• KwikTrip 6-oz mixed fruit cup, 6-oz cantaloupe cup, and 16-oz fruit tray distributed to Kwik Trip, Kwik Star, Stop-N-Go, Tobacco Outlet Plus Grocery, and Tobacco Outlet Plus convenience stores in WI, MN, IA, MI, IL, and SD.
• Bix Produce 5.75-oz Created Fresh! cantaloupe Grab N’ Go fruit cups, Created Fresh! Grab N’ Go mixed fruit cups, and Jack & Olive mixed fruit cups sold in MN, ND, SD, and WI.
• GHGA pre-cut products containing cantaloupe branded as Sprouts Farmers Market, Trader Joes, and unbranded products sold at Kroger. Recalled products were distributed to Kroger stores in AL and GA, Sprout’s Farmers Market stores in AL, GA, NC, and SC, and Trader Joe’s stores in AL, FL, GA, SC, and TN (see recall for lot codes and “sell-by” dates).
• Cut Fruit Express Caribou Coffee Fruit Mix CHPG 6.5oz and Cut Fruit Express-brand of 6.5oz, 15oz, 16oz, 32oz packages of Fruit Mix containing cantaloupes. This recall also includes food service packages of cantaloupe chunks and fruit mixes containing cantaloupe.
• TGD Cuts, LLC fresh-cut fruit cup, clamshell and tray products containing cantaloupe.
• Stop & Shop
  Truefresh Cantaloupe that was purchased between Oct. 23 – Nov. 11, 2023 in CT, NJ, and NY.

Salmonella:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of Salmonella outbreaks. The Salmonella lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of Salmonella and other foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $850 million for clients.  Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our Salmonella lawyers have litigated Salmonella cases stemming from outbreaks traced to a variety of foods, such as cantaloupe, tomatoes, ground turkey, salami, sprouts, cereal, peanut butter, and food served in restaurants.  The law firm has brought Salmonella lawsuits against such companies as Cargill, ConAgra, Peanut Corporation of America, Sheetz, Taco Bell, Subway and Wal-Mart.  

If you or a family member became ill with a Salmonella infection, including Reactive Arthritis or Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark Salmonella attorneys for a free case evaluation.

Additional Resources:

• About Salmonella – a complete resource for victims of Salmonella outbreaks
• Marler Clark Salmonella Lawsuits and Litigation
• Downloadable Salmonella Fact Sheet

Republished with permission from Bill Marler and Marler Clark. Copyright (c) Marler Clark LLP, PS. All rights reserved.