Salmonella Outbreak Linked to JEM Raw Nut Butter Products
Our law firm is investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Paratyphi B infections linked to raw nut butter products (made with almonds, cashews, hazelnuts), including products made by JEM Raw Chocolate, LLC (JEM Raw), a company located in Bend, Oregon. Epidemiologic information, including interviews with people sickened in the outbreak, has identified this specific brand of raw nut butter as the likely source of this outbreak, according to the FDA.
According to the CDC, 11 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Paratyphi B variant L(+) tartrate (+) have been reported from nine states: California (1), Colorado (1), Georgia (1), Hawaii (1), Idaho (1), Illinois (1), New Jersey (1), North Carolina (1), and Oregon (3). Reported and estimated onset dates range from July 18, 2015, to October 15, 2015.
JEM Raw Chocolate LLC voluntarily recalled all 12 of its nut butter spreads on December 2, 2015, because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella:
- Cashew Cardamon – Sprouted Cashew Almond Spread (1 oz.) (6 09728 97861 7);
- Cinnamon Red Maca – Sprouted Almond Spread (1 oz.) (6 09728 97862 4);
- Hazelnut Raw Cacao – Sprouted Hazelnut Spread (1 oz.) (6 09728 97865 5);
- Superberry Maqui Camu – Sprouted Almond Spread (1 oz.) (6 09728 97864 8);
- Cashew Cardamom – Sprouted Cashew Almond Spread (6 oz.) (6 09728 97860 0);
- Cinnamon Red Maca – Sprouted Almond Spread (6 oz.) (6 09728 97848 8);
- Hazelnut Raw Cacao -Sprouted Hazelnut Spread (6 oz.) (6 09728 97857 0);
- Superberry Maqui Camu – Sprouted Almond Spread (6 oz.) (6 09728 97858 7);
- Cashew Cardamom – Sprouted Cashew Almond Spread (16 oz.) (6 09728 97854 9);
- Cinnamon Red Maca – Sprouted Almond Spread (16 oz.) (6 09728 97850 1);
- Hazelnut Raw Cacao – Sprouted Hazelnut Spread (16 oz.) (6 09728 97851 8);
- Superberry Maqui Camu – Sprouted Almond Spread (16 oz.) (6 09728 97852 5).
Lawsuit for Compensation
Our Salmonella lawyers are investigating this outbreak.
“A lawsuit is often the only way to get access to information that will help determine why, when and how a product got contaminated with Salmonella,” said attorney Fred Pritzker, who has won millions for people sickened by food.
Salmonella causes severe diarrhea, vomiting and pain. People sickened in an outbreak have the right to seek compensation for their pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost wages and other damages. You can use our free consultation form to contact Fred and his team of lawyers about your case and a Salmonella lawsuit. Find out if you can sue JEM Raw for compensation and justice.
Are You Part of the Outbreak?
Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. This is called the incubation period. So if you ate a JEM Raw product and had onset of Salmonella symptoms within 4 days, you may be part of the outbreak. There is testing that can be done to confirm that you are part of the outbreak. The testing uses pulsed-filed gel electrophoresis (PFGE) to create a DNA “fingerprint” (pattern) of the Salmonella bacteria that made you sick. If your PFGE pattern is the same as others sickened in the outbreak, you are part of the outbreak.
A person can be part of an outbreak linked to a food product even if they did not eat that product. This happens when there is cross-contamination (another product is contaminated by the initial product) or when someone who was sickened in the outbreak makes another person sick. These people may also have the right to sue for compensation.
What Should You Do?
If you or a family member were diagnosed with Salmonella, you should use our free consultation form to contact our law firm and talk to one of our lead lawyers for these cases: Fred Pritzker and Eric Hageman.
If you have a recalled product produced by JEM Raw Chocolate LLC (see above list), you should not eat it. If no one has been sickened by it, the FDA recommends that you dispose of it in the garbage. You can also contact JEM Raw Chocolate LLC for any questions concerning product replacement; however, do not contact them if you or someone else was sickened. You need to contact our law firm first.
Some people are at greater risk for foodborne illness. These susceptible groups include:
- Pregnant women
- Young children
- Older adults
- People whose immune systems are compromised
- People who have decreased stomach acidity
Children are the most likely to get salmonellosis. The rate of diagnosed infections in children less than 5 years of age is higher than the rate in all other people. Children younger than 5 years of age, the elderly, and those people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have severe infections. It is estimated that approximately 400 people in the United States die each year with acute salmonellosis.
