Mamey Smoothie Typhoid Fever Risk

If you think you can't contract typhoid fever in the United States, ask one of the nine people who contracted typhoid fever after consuming a mamey smoothie with a little Salmonella Typhi thrown in at juice bars in California and Nevada.  

Mamey Smoothie Typhoid Fever Outbreak Facts

mamey smoothie lawsuitOur law firm is investigating a tyhpoid fever outbreak in the United States linked to mamey pulp (free consultation about a mamey pulp lawsuit). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned consumers not to eat frozen mamey fruit pulp sold under the La Nuestra brand by Montalvan Sales Inc. Ontario, Calif., or the Goya brand by Goya Foods Inc. Secaucus, N.J. The CDC reports that at least nine people in California (5) and Nevada (4) are ill with typhoid fever, caused by Salmonella Typhi. Ill individuals have reported consuming products, including mamey fruit smoothies, made with La Nuestra or Goya brand frozen mamey fruit pulp. 

An investigation by the CDC and health officials in California and Nevada showed an epidemiologic link between an ongoing outbreak of Salmonella Typhi and frozen mamey fruit pulp sold under the La Nuestra brand by Montalvan Sales Inc. Ontario, California, and under the Goya brand by Goya Foods Inc. Secaucus, New Jersey.  This evidence can be used to sue Goya Foods or Montalvan Sales for payment of medical bills and compensation for lost income, emotional distress and pain and suffering. 

People with typhoid fever have reported consuming mamey fruit pulp, including mamey fruit smoothies at juice stands.This means that the owners of the fruit stands may also be sued.

What is Typhoid Fever and How Can You Get It from a Mamey Smoothie? 

Typhoid Fever is a serious bacterial infection that can be treated with antibiotics. There are approximately 400 cases in the United States annually, 70 percent of which are acquired while traveling internationally. Infection occurs when a patient eats or drinks food or beverages handled by a person who is “shedding” the Salmonella Typhi bacterium in his stool, or if sewage is contaminated with the bacterium and the water is used for drinking or washing food.  The investigation into how the Salmonella Typhi got into the frozen mamey juice is continuing.  Because both companies involved got their mamey pulp from the same supplier in Guatemala, the contamination most likely happened there.

Typhoid fever can last up to three or four weeks. Symptoms occur within three days and up to three months after consuming contaminated food or water and include a sustained fever as high as 103 F to 104 F as well as stomach pains, a headache, anorexia, a slow heart rate, malaise, constipation or diarrhea, or a non-productive cough. People are the only host for the Salmonella Typhi bacterium, which is carried in the bloodstream and intestinal tract. Ten percent of untreated patients can remain infectious for as many as three months after the onset of symptoms, and 2 to 5 percent of these patients can become permanent carriers.

If you or a family member has been diagnosed with typhoid fever, our Salmonella lawyers are available for a free consultation.

La Neustra and Goya Typhoid Fever Outbreak

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers not to eat frozen mamey fruit pulp sold under the La Nuestra brand by Montalvan Sales Inc. Ontario, California, or the Goya brand by Goya Foods Inc. Secaucus, New Jersey. The two companies get their mamey fruit from a common supplier in Guatemala.  The pulp was used by juice stands to make mamey smoothies.

An investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state health departments showed an epidemiologic link between an ongoing outbreak of Salmonella Typhi infections and the products.  This means that interviews with patients and their families found that a statistically high number of people sickened in the outbreak had consumed frozen mamey pulp sold under the La Nuestra and Goya brands.

The CDC reports that at least nine people in California and Nevada are ill with typhoid fever, caused by Salmonella Typhi. Ill individuals have reported consuming mamey fruit pulp, including mamey fruit smoothies at juice stands.

Goya Foods Inc. and La Nuestra have voluntarily recalled their products:

Both the Goya and La Nuestra products are sold frozen. The Goya product is sold in 14-ounce packages in retail stores nationwide.  All production lot codes are being recalled. The UPC is 041331090803.

The La Nuestra brand mamey pulp comes in a 14-ounce plastic package.  All lot numbers are affected by this recall; however, packages produced prior to May 2009 are not identified with a lot number and are subject to this recall as well.  The UPC is 7-56869-10008-4.

Mamey fruit (sometime referred to as "zapote") is large and round, has brown skin and a fleshy orange pulp. It is grown mainly in the tropical lowlands of Central America and is very popular among the Hispanic community, especially in juices and fruit shakes (called "batidos").

Infections with

Salmonella

Typhi cause typhoid fever, a serious illness that can result in death. People with typhoid fever usually have a sustained fever as high as 103 degrees to 104 degrees F (39 degrees to 40 degrees C). They may also feel weak, or have stomach pains, headache, or loss of appetite.

The only way to know for sure if an illness is typhoid fever is to have samples of stool or blood tested for the presence of Salmonella Typhi. If you suspect you or a family member has typhoid fever, it is important that you or the family member see a health care professional immediately.  If you or your family member is diagnosed with typhoid fever, contact our law firm about a lawsuit against the owner of the juice stand and Goya Foods or Montalvan.

 

Typhoid Fever Outbreak Associated with Goya Frozen Mamey Fruit Pulp

As part of a multi-agency Salmonella Typhi outbreak investigation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is advising consumers not to eat or drink Goya brand frozen mamey fruit pulp until further notice.
 
Salmonella Typhi is the bacterium that causes typhoid fever. The investigation by CDC and state public health officials in California and Nevada has found four confirmed cases in Clark County, Nevada, three confirmed illnesses in California and two additional California cases listed as "probable.''
 
Typhoid fever is a very rare illness in the United States among non-international travelers and can cause serious symptoms, often times requiring hospitalization. Typhoid fever is contracted when food and water are contaminated by an infected individual and are then consumed by other people

Mamey, also called “zapote” or “sapote,” is a tropical fruit grown primarily in Central and South America. Five of the seven Typhoid Fever patients interviewed by investigators reported consuming frozen mamey fruit pulp in a milkshake or smoothie, also called a “batido” or “licuado.”

Upon further investigation, it was found that 4  of 5 ill persons consumed Goya brand frozen mamey fruit pulp, the CDC reported. "These results suggest that eating frozen mamey fruit pulp is a likely source of these illnesses,'' the agency said.

One day prior to the outbreak announcement from CDC, Goya Foods Inc. of Seacaucus, New Jersey, recalled its 14 ounce packages of Frozen Mamey Pulp, due to a potential health risk from Salmonella.

The recalled Goya brand Mamey Pulp was distributed in the states of AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, NM, NV, OR, TX, UT, and WA through retail stores. The product comes in a 14 ounce plastic package and is not marked with a lot number or expiration date. The UPC is 041331090803.

If you or a loved one has been sickened in this zapote outbreak, contact national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen for a free case consultation at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete the contact form on the side of this Web page.

Over the years we have collected millions for victims of food poisoning and our firm has a record of winning Salmonella lawsuits and other food poisoning lawsuits.