Michigan’s Macomb County was home to the first person who died from Listeriosis associated with Dole packaged salad. This Listeria wrongful death is part of a multi-state outbreak of foodborne illness that has sickened three other Michigan residents and a total of 12 people in six states. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the state of Michigan was hit hardest by the Dole salad Listeria outbreak. Other states include New York, New Jersey, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.
If the link to Dole proves to be correct, it represents a possible failure of their food safety systems. Federal law is very clear: the presence of a single Listeria organism in a food product constitutes adulteration.
Michigan Listeria Lawsuit
Details of the person who died from complications of Listeria food poisoning were not released, but the investigation into the outbreak is continuing and Dole has recalled salad that could be tainted (see below). The company also shut down its packaging plant in Springfield, Ohio, where Listeria monocytogenes was traced.
Macomb County’s Health Department is located in Mount Clemens, Michigan. Local authorities have made no announcements about the outbreak, but Michigan and New York each have four confirmed cases of listeriosis tied to contaminated, recalled salad sold by Dole. Here’s how to identify what salads NOT to eat.
Consumers should NOT eat packaged salads produced at the Dole processing facility in Springfield, Ohio.The packaged salads produced in this facility were sold under various brand names including:
- Dole
- Fresh Selections
- Simple Truth
- Marketside
- The Little Salad Bar
- President’s Choice
Consumers can identify these packaged salads by the letter “A” at the beginning of the manufacturing code found on the package.