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Federal food and drug investigators have implicated contaminated
cantaloupes from Jensen Farms in Holly, Colorado, with a nationwide
outbreak of listeriosis that has killed at least 25 people, caused one
miscarriage and sickened more than 120 others. Federal investigators
said that bad sanitation at a cantaloupe packing shed potentially
allowed deadly Listeria monocytogenes bacteria to spread throughout
the facility.
If you have become ill after eating a contaminated cantaloupe, you
may be a victim of a negligently processed food product. Most
foodborne illness is preventable if food is properly handled and
prepared. You should talk to an experienced foodborne illness lawyer
at Janet, Jenner & Suggs, LLC, to understand your legal rights. You
may be entitled to compensation for harm caused by unsafe food
products, including Rocky Ford cantaloupes produced by Jensen Farms.
Call now: 1-888-4-MED-LAW or contact us online. The call and the
consultation are free.
One of Largest Outbreaks of Listeriosis in U.S. History
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the ongoing
outbreak of listeriosis is one of the largest in the history of the
United States. Listeriosis is a serious foodborne infection caused by
consumption of food contaminated with the pathogen Listeria
monocytogenes. The illness varies from person to person, but generally
the symptoms include fever and muscle aches, preceded by diarrhea or
other gastrointestinal upset. Other symptoms include headaches, stiff
neck, balance problems and convulsions.
Listeriosis can be fatal, especially in certain high risk groups,
including older adults, people with compromised immune systems and
newborns. In pregnant women, listeriosis can produce flu-like
symptoms; it can cause miscarriage, stillbirth and serious illness or
death in newborn babies.
According to the FDA, seven people in Colorado diagnosed with
listeriosis reported eating cantaloupe in the month before the illness
and three reported consuming cantaloupe marketed as “Rocky Ford”
cantaloupe. A number of farms in the Rocky Ford region of Colorado
produce cantaloupes marketed as “Rocky Ford.” Only cantaloupes
produced by Jensen Farms have been implicated in the outbreak of
listeriosis, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Recalled Jensen Farms Cantaloupes Shipped to at least 24 States
FDA investigators have verified that cantaloupes produced by Jensen
Farms went to the following states: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado,
Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri,
Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota,
Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah,
Wisconsin and Wyoming.
The FDA has advised consumers not to eat the recalled cantaloupes
and to throw them away. Harmful bacteria may be on both the inside and
the outside of the cantaloupe.
Farms and food manufacturers have a duty to employ good
agricultural and management practices in packing and storage
facilities as well as in the growing fields. The FDA said the factors
that most likely contributed to the introduction and growth of
Listeria monocytogenes in the cantaloupes include the design of the
packing shed which allowed water to pool on the floor near equipment,
difficulty in sanitizing the packing equipment, and lack of a
pre-cooling step to remove field heat from the cantaloupes before cold
storage. Condensation on the cantaloupes may have promoted the growth
of Listeria monocytogenes.
If you or a loved one believes that you ate a Rocky Ford brand
cantaloupe from Jensen Farms and have experienced any of the symptoms
listed above, contact us immediately.
The MEDLAW legal team of Janet, Jenner & Suggs, LLC, is a
nationally recognized law firm committed to assisting victims of
negligently manufactured and marketed food products, prescription
drugs and medical devices. If you suspect that you have been injured
by cantaloupes from Jensen Farms, you may be entitled to collect
compensation.
The MEDLAW Legal Team of Janet, Jenner & Suggs, LLC, is a national
firm with offices in Baltimore, MD; Columbia, SC; and Asheville, NC.
The law firm has satellite offices in Atlanta, GA; Washington, DC;
Philadelphia, PA; and Minneapolis, MN. Time is of the essence to
protect your legal rights.
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