Attorney Fred Pritzker has won settlements for people sickened by listeriosis food poisoning, including $6,000,000.00 in a past outbreak that did not involve Whole Foods Market. He is now investigating a Whole Foods Market cheese recall involving Trois Comtois Morbier cheese.
Find out if you have the right to sue Whole Foods Market for compensation.
Can I Sue a Grocery Store for Food Poisoning?
The cheese is being recalled because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause listeriosis, a serious and sometimes fatal infection. The elderly are particularly at risk, as are pregnant women. Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. Fred has won money for clients in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against food processors, suppliers, retailers and restaurants.
Whole Foods Market is Responsible for Illnesses Caused by Recalled Cheese
Because Whole Foods Market “processed” the cheese by cutting, wrapping and labeling it, the company is responsible for any listeriosis illnesses caused by the cheese. It can take 2 months after eating food contaminated with Listeria bacteria to get sick, so anyone who has eaten the recalled cheese needs to be alert for symptoms of listeriosis, including:
- fever
- muscle aches
- nausea
- diarrhea
If the bacteria spreads to the brain, it can cause listeriosis meningitis. Symptoms of meningitis include a stiff neck, headache, loss of balance and confusion or convulsions. Listeriosis meningitis is extremely serious and can be fatal.
Recalled Whole Foods Cheese Products
The recalled Trois Comtois Morbier comes in wheels approximately 11 lbs. each, which are then cut and wrapped in varying weights and are labeled with a Whole Foods Market scale label. Below is a list of how the cheese was labeled, including PLU code, according to the state in which it was sold. This recall includes all “best by” dates sold in Whole Foods Market stores in the states listed below.
- Morbier Raw Milk – PLU 293358 – Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas
- Morbier AOC Le Trois – PLU 293608 – Ohio, Virginia, Washington D.C.
- Morbier Raw Milk French Cheese -PLU 293358 – Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Wisconsin
- Morbier Raw Milk – PLU 293358- Southern California, Hawaii, Arizona
- Morbier Les Trois Comtois – PLU 293608 – Northern California and Nevada (Reno store only)
To date, no illnesses have been reported to Whole Foods Market. This recall is in response to a recall by Trois Comtois in Poligny, France. The recall includes stores in the Mid Atlantic, Southwest, Northern California, Southern Pacific and Midwest regions.
