Two deaths, several hospitalizations reported amid nationwide plant-based milk recall

On July 8, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced a recall of several Silk and Great Value “plant-based refrigerated beverages” due to Listeria monocytogenes. Now, two deaths and multiple hospitalizations have been linked to it.

A foodborne illness outbreak triggered an investigation, which remains ongoing.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) provided a brief breakdown of related listeriosis deaths and hospitalizations — a case in Nova Scotia, one in Quebec, and 10 in Ontario.

#CFIArecall: Various Silk and Great Value brand plant based refrigerated beverages recalled due to Listeria monocytogenes https://t.co/OgkxewycaQ

— Canadian Food Inspection Agency (@InspectionCan) July 8, 2024

Various recalled plant based refrigerated beverages are the source of 12 #Listeria infections occurring across 3 provinces: ON, QC and NS. Do not eat, use or serve the Silk or Great Value recalled products. More info: https://t.co/7V1YQUKiA5 pic.twitter.com/NNeadw2IOv

— Health Canada and PHAC (@GovCanHealth) July 18, 2024

People who became sick are between 37 and 89 years old. Most are adults 60 or older (58%), and over half of the cases (67%) are female.

Laboratory-confirmed cases of the infection were found in people who became sick between August 2023 and early July 2024.

“Many people who became sick reported drinking recalled plant-based beverages before their illnesses occurred,” stated PHAC.

“More recent illnesses may continue to be reported in the outbreak because there is a period between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported to public health officials. For this outbreak, the illness reporting period is between nine and 35 days,” it added.

What is Listeria monocytogenes?

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According to the CFIA, Listeria monocytogenes can cause various symptoms, including vomiting, cramps, fever, nausea, diarrhea, muscle aches, headache, and constipation.

People who are pregnant, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk. In severe cases of illness, the bacteria can spread to the nervous system, causing a stiff neck, confusion, headache, loss of balance, and death.

Symptoms of severe listeriosis may appear up to 70 days after you have been exposed to the bacteria.

It’s also important to note that food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes “may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick.”

What should you do?

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The CFIA urges Canadians to check to see if they have the recalled products and to contact their healthcare providers if they suspect they became sick from them.

“Do not consume, serve, use, sell, or distribute recalled products,” states the CFIA. “Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to where they were purchased.”

The agency also stressed that people should not cook food for others if diagnosed with a Listeria infection or any other gastrointestinal illness.

The listeriosis outbreak may not be limited to the provinces or territories with known illnesses because the recalled plant-based beverages were distributed nationally. Be careful even if you live outside Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Ontario.

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Additional information

Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Below is a list of Great Value beverages that are being recalled with the universal product codes (UPCs):

• Great Value Almond Beverage Unsweetened Original — UPC 6 81131 34208 7 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
• Great Value Almond Beverage Original — UPC 6 81131 34209 4 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
• Great Value Almond Beverage Vanilla — UPC 6 81131 34210 0 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825

Below is a list of Silk beverages that are being recalled with the UPCs:

• Silk Almond & Coconut Unsweetened — UPC 0 25293 00250 0 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
• Silk Almond Original — UPC 0 25293 00100 8 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
• Silk Almond Dark Chocolate — UPC 0 25293 00135 0 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
• Silk Almond Unsweetened — UPC 0 25293 00150 3 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
• Silk Almond Unsweetened Vanilla — UPC 0 25293 00188 6 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
• Silk Almond Vanilla — UPC 0 25293 00168 8 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
• Silk Coconut Original — UPC 0 25293 00152 7 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
• Silk Coconut Unsweetened — UPC 0 25293 00244 9 — All Best Before dates up to and including September 27, 2024. Product code contains 7825
• Silk Oat Original – UPC 0 36632 07240 5 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
• Silk Oat Vanilla — UPC 0 36632 07241 2 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
• Silk Oat Dark Chocolate — UPC 0 36632 07239 9 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
• Silk Oat Unsweetened — UPC 0 36632 07532 1 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
• Silk Oat Unsweetened Vanilla — UPC 0 56800 72749 4 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
• Silk Almond & Cashew Unsweetened — UPC 0 36632 07235 1 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825
• Silk Almond & Cashew Unsweetened Vanilla — UPC 0 36632 07234 4 — All Best Before dates up to and including October 4, 2024. Product code contains 7825

Check here for more details.

A potential class-action lawsuit

Before reports of the recall-related deaths and illnesses were shared, Slater Vecchio LLP, a BC and Québec-based law firm focusing on class-action lawsuits, announced that it’s looking into a possible lawsuit against the two food manufacturers that made the affected beverages.

“Slater Vecchio LLP is investigating a class-action lawsuit against the manufacturers of Silk and Great Value branded plant-based milk products,” reads a statement on the company’s website.

The law firm added that people injured by a dangerous product, who paid the price for anti-competitive business practices, who had their privacy violated, or who were wronged by an unfair contract or deal “may not have the ability to pursue recourse to the Courts on their own.”

“This is where class-action lawsuits come into play,” it stated.

With files from Irish Mae Silvestre.