Ohio Kale Listeria Warning Issued After Positive Test
Kale from a farm in Oxnard, California, tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes when examined by the Ohio Department of Agriculture, prompting the state to issue a health advisory for consumers to avoid a certain batch of the leafy greens.
The potentially contaminated Kale in question comes in 10-ounce bags of branded "Cut n'Clean Greens" from San Miguel Produce Inc. The product has a use-by date of 11/9/2009 and lot code 14398.
The Cincinnati Inquirer newspaper broke the story and the company issued a news release saying only 24 bags fitting the description were shipped to Ohio.
The company says it is conducting its own investigation and that no illnesses have been associated with the product advisory in Ohio.
Listeria is a human pathogen that affects thousands of Americans a year, nearly all from contaminated food. It is associated with infections of the brain and spinal cord that can cause neurological dysfunction or death. Young children, adults over 60 and others with compromised immune systems -- including pregnant women -- are most at risk.
Listeria is known to cause miscarriage or stillbirth and pregnant women, along with children under 4, are most likely to contract the disease.
If you or a loved one have been treated for Listeria and need to know more about your legal rights, call Pritzker Olsen Attorneys at 1-888-377-8000 (Toll Free) or complete our online information and contact form. We are one of the few firms in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation.
