Health Law

Past Salmonella Outbreaks, West Coast - Washington, Oregon, California

By Marler Clark

Among the states implicated in Del Monte's Cantaloupe Salmonella outbreak are Washington, Oregon, and California.  All three states have seen their share of Salmonella litigation.

Washington: 

Sprouters Northwest- Sprouts, 2010. Marler Clark has filed two lawsuits, one on behalf of a Washington resident and the other on behalf of an Oregon resident who were sickened through the consumption of sprouts contaminated with Salmonella.    Sprouters Northwest distributes its products to merchants such as Jimmy John's as well as to grocery stores. The Oregon Public Health Division warned consumers against consuming Clover, Clover & Onion, Spicy Sprouts and Deli Sprouts produced by Sprouters Northwest.

Cafe Adrift - Restaurant, 2005. This outbreak was investigated by Skagit County health officials in September 2005.  The illnesses were linked to crab cakes, which included eggs, that had been improperly prepared.  Marler Clark represented two individuals sickened in the outbreak.   Both of the claims were resolved in July, 2006.

Quality Inn- Restaurant, 2003.  Marler Clark represented eight individuals sickened through consumption of improperly prepared fried ice-cream at the restaurant.  Sadly, those sicked had been attending an awards banquet.   Two of the ill persons developed reactive arthritis secondary to their Salmonella infections. 

Susie Brand Cantaloupe:  2002.  Marler Clark represented an 85-year-old Washington resident who was hospitalized for 18 days with a Salmonellainfection after eating Susie brand cantaloupe in 2002. The cantaloupe, which had been imported and distributed in the United States and Canada by the I. Kunik Company of McAllen, Texas, was recalled for Salmonella contamination.

Sun Orchard:  Orange Juice, 1999. State, local and federal health officials identified the source of a Salmonella outbreak in Washington residents as Sun Orchard brand unpasteurized orange juice. At least 14 confirmed cases of Salmonella had been reported in the Seattle area.

During the investigation of what became a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella serotype Muenchen illnesses, Salmonella was detected in unopened containers of the Sun Orchard unpasteurized orange juice. Sun Orchard voluntarily recalled its unpasteurized orange juice, which had been distributed in various forms, to retail stores, restaurants, and other dining institutions under a number of different labels.

Marler Clark filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of all people who had consumed Sun Orchard unpasteurized orange juice and who had become ill with Salmonella infections. The firm settled the lawsuit on behalf of 55 victims of the Salmonella outbreak for a reported $1.4 million.

Oregon:

Los Dos Amigos:  Restaurant- 2010.  Among current litigation at Marler Clark is our representation of 12 of the at least 30 people  infected with Salmonella Enteritidis in mid-April 2010 at Los Dos Amigos Mexican restaurant in Roseburg, Oregon.  Douglas County Public Health department officials have stated that cross-contamination was probably a contributing factor in the outbreak. 

Harmony Farms:  Sprouts, 2003.  Marler Clark represented two of the victims of a Salmonella outbreak involving the Salmonella St. Paul strain that occurred in Oregon and Washington linked to sprouts from Harmony Farms.  There were at least 9 lab confirmed cases all tolled. Both cases were resolved in April, 2004.

A second Salmonella outbreak and recall of alfalfa sprouts, this time involving a Salmonella Chester strain, was announced by the state health agencies in Washington and Oregon in late November, 2003; 26 persons were lab-confirmed Salmonella cases eventually associated with the outbreak. The source of the second outbreak was again linked to a batch of contaminated alfalfa sprouts grown and distributed by Harmony Farms in both states.

Marler Clark represented 3 of the victims of the second outbreak, all of whom required medical attention and care.  Those cases have since been resolved.

California: 

Paramount Farms Almonds: 2004  On May 18, 2004, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the nationwide recall of whole natural raw almonds by Paramount Farms, Inc. of California, due to the detection of seven cases of Salmonella Enteritidis poisoning in Alaska, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, and Utah that had been linked to the consumption of raw almonds produced by Paramount Farms.  The recall was expanded to include millions of pounds of raw California almonds sold worldwide, and by June 1, 2004, over two dozen illnesses had been linked to consumption of contaminated almonds produced by Paramount Farms.

Marler Clark filed lawsuits in Califronia and Washington on behalf of sickened individuals from theose states.  The suits were filed in both Federal and State Court. 

Full post as published by Food Poison Blog on March 27, 2011 (boomark / email).