Contact our law firm about a Dole lawsuit if you or a loved one contracted a Listeria infection, referred to as listeriosis, and the illness has been linked to a Dole lettuce salad product.
An outbreak of listeriosis infections has been linked to packaged salad products made at the Dole processing facility in Springfield, Ohio, according to the CDC. Twelve people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria were reported from six states from July 5, 2015 to December 23, 2015. The number of ill people reported from each state is as follows: Indiana (1), Massachusetts (1), Michigan (4), New Jersey (1), New York (4), and Pennsylvania (1).
DNA “fingerprinting” was performed on Listeria bacteria isolated from the 12 ill people using a technique called whole genome sequencing (WGS). These WGS DNA fingerprints show that the isolates are highly related genetically. WGS was also done on a Listeria isolate found in a bag of Dole brand Field Greens packaged salad from a retail location. The WGS DNA fingerprint of that isolate was highly related genetically to isolates from ill people. This information linked the illnesses to Dole brand packaged salads produced at the Dole processing facility in Springfield, Ohio.
Ill people range in age from 3 years to 83, and the median age is 66. Sixty-nine percent of ill people are female. All 12 (100%) ill people reported being hospitalized, and one person from Michigan died as a result of listeriosis. The family has a product liability and wrongful death claims, and the 11 survivors have product liability claims.
One of the illnesses reported was in a pregnant woman. Listeriosis can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth. In some cases, the baby is born with listeriosis and develops meningitis. These newborns can die.
Those sickened in this outbreak and the family of the person killed have the right to sue for compensation. A Listeria lawsuit will provide access to corporate information that can help uncover how the product got contaminated and why the tainted product was sold to unsuspecting consumers.
Attorney Fred Pritzker is investigating this outbreak and can be contacted using our FREE consultation form (click here) or by calling 1-888-377-8900 (toll-free).
FDA Recall Information
Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc., is temporarily suspending operations at its Springfield, Ohio production facility, and is voluntarily withdrawing from the market all Dole-branded and private label packaged salads processed at that location, according to an FDA announcement dated January 22, 2016. 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.
CDC says consumers should not eat packaged salads produced at the Dole processing facility in Springfield, Ohio.
- Consumers can identify these packaged salads by the letter “A” at the beginning of the manufacturing code found on the package (see image above).
- At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that packaged salads produced at other Dole processing facilities in the United States are linked to illness.