More cases of Listeria reported amid nation-wide plant-based milk recall

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The nationwide recall of Silk and Great Value plant-based milk products is now linked to 18 cases of listeria in Canada.

According to an update shared on Tuesday by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), Alberta and Nova Scotia have both reported one case; there have been four cases in Quebec and 12 in Ontario.

Thirteen people have been hospitalized, and two have died.

Most people who became sick are between seven and 89 years old, with the majority (67%) of them being adults over 50 and over half (67%) being female.

Laboratory-confirmed cases of the infection were found in people who became sick between August 2023 and early July 2024.

“More recent illnesses may continue to be reported in the outbreak because there is a period between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported to public health officials. For this outbreak, the illness reporting period is between nine and 29 days,” stated PHAC.

What is Listeria monocytogenes?

According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Listeria monocytogenes can cause various symptoms, including vomiting, cramps, fever, nausea, diarrhea, muscle aches, headache, and constipation.

People who are pregnant, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk. In severe cases of illness, the bacteria can spread to the nervous system, causing a stiff neck, confusion, headache, loss of balance, and death.

Symptoms of severe listeriosis may appear up to 70 days after you have been exposed to the bacteria.

It’s also important to note that food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes “may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick.”

The CFIA says Canadians should check if they have the recalled products in their homes and contact their healthcare providers if they suspect they became sick from them.

“Do not consume, serve, use, sell, or distribute recalled products,” states the CFIA. “Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to where they were purchased.”

The agency also stressed that people should not cook food for others if diagnosed with a Listeria infection or any other gastrointestinal illness.

Do you have a recalled product?

Below is a list of Great Value beverages that have been included in the recall with the universal product codes (UPCs):

  • Great Value Almond Beverage Unsweetened Original — UPC 6 81131 34208 7 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
  • Great Value Almond Beverage Original — UPC 6 81131 34209 4 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
  • Great Value Almond Beverage Vanilla — UPC 6 81131 34210 0 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825

Below is a list of Silk beverages that are being recalled with the UPCs:

  • Silk Almond & Coconut Unsweetened — UPC 0 25293 00250 0 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
  • Silk Almond Original — UPC 0 25293 00100 8 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
  • Silk Almond Dark Chocolate — UPC 0 25293 00135 0 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
  • Silk Almond Unsweetened — UPC 0 25293 00150 3 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
  • Silk Almond Unsweetened Vanilla — UPC 0 25293 00188 6 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
  • Silk Almond Vanilla — UPC 0 25293 00168 8 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
  • Silk Coconut Original — UPC 0 25293 00152 7 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
  • Silk Coconut Unsweetened — UPC 0 25293 00244 9 — All Best Before dates up to and including September 27, 2024. Product code contains 7825
  • Silk Oat Original – UPC 0 36632 07240 5 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
  • Silk Oat Vanilla — UPC 0 36632 07241 2 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
  • Silk Oat Dark Chocolate — UPC 0 36632 07239 9 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
  • Silk Oat Unsweetened — UPC 0 36632 07532 1 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
  • Silk Oat Unsweetened Vanilla — UPC 0 56800 72749 4 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
  • Silk Almond & Cashew Unsweetened — UPC 0 36632 07235 1 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
  • Silk Almond & Cashew Unsweetened Vanilla — UPC 0 36632 07234 4 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825

Check here for more details.

Recall prompts potential class-action lawsuit

recall

GGW/Shutterstock | Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Before reports of the recall-related deaths and illnesses were shared, Slater Vecchio LLP, a BC and Québec-based law firm focusing on class-action lawsuits, announced that it’s looking into a possible lawsuit against the two food manufacturers that made the recall-affected beverages.

“Slater Vecchio LLP is investigating a class-action lawsuit against the manufacturers of Silk and Great Value branded plant-based milk products,” reads a statement on the company’s website.

The law firm added that people injured by a dangerous product, who paid the price for anti-competitive business practices, who had their privacy violated, or who were wronged by an unfair contract or deal “may not have the ability to pursue recourse to the Courts on their own.”

“This is where class-action lawsuits come into play,” it stated.

With files from Irish Mae Silvestre.

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