Salmonella Chia Seed Outbreak Leads to Personal Injury Lawsuit

A salmonella chia seed outbreak traced back to a health food chia seed powder has been linked to 65 cases of salmonella illness in the United States and Canada. Now, a woman who was hospitalized after contracting the disease, has filed a personal injury lawsuit against the health powder’s manufacturer.

Carolyn Marie Shirley, a Fort Collins, Colorado resident, became ill around March 14th, 2014, after she consumed Navitas Naturals chia seed powder, which she purchased at her local Sprouts Farmer’s Market. She reportedly began suffering a gastrointestinal illness, and worsened for several days until she had to be hospitalized. At the hospital, she was diagnosed with Salmonella Oranienburg.

“Many people think that healthy foods are not susceptible to Salmonella outbreaks, but that is just not true,” said Bill Marler, who has been working to help improve food safety standards since representing victims of the Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak in the early 1990s. “Healthy foods are just as prone to Salmonella and E. coli as milk and eggs.”

When Shirley filed her complaint on Thursday, June 18th, she was still recovering from the food poisoning chia seed infection.

The CDC reported that as of June 9th, 12 states have reported various salmonella infections, for a total of 21 salmonella patients in the United States alone. Shirley is one of two people with reported Salmonella Oranienburg infections; other infections include Salmonella Newport (13 patients), and Salmonella Hartford (6 patients).

There have been 52 reported salmonella chia seed infections across Canada.

The chia powder recall includes brand names Navitas Naturals, Williams Sonoma and Green Smoothie Girl. Most of the products came in 8 oz containers and have a best-buy date of November 2015. The CDC said that, because chia seeds have such a long shelf life, consumers may still have some of the salmonella-contaminated products in their kitchens. The agency recommends that consumers check their food supplies and either throw away the chia seed powders under product recall, or return them to the store.

Salmonella is one of the most common food-borne illnesses, and in healthy adults can last between 4 and 7 days. Most cases clear up on their own without treatment, but salmonella infections can be serious or fatal in young children, elderly adults, or people with compromised immune systems. Healthy people infected with salmonella can experience symptoms such as fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Dehydration is a potentially fatal side effect, and in rare instances, salmonella can enter the blood steam and cause heart infection or arthritis.

The Strom Law Firm Protects Citizens Harmed by Delayed Product or Food Recalls

The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm aim to protect our clients’ health and safety, and hold manufacturers to the highest possible standard of safety. Product recalls are especially important because defective drugs, medical devices, food, and toys can seriously injure or even kill consumers. If you or a loved one have experienced severe, life-limiting side effects from a defective food, product or drug, and believe that your pain stems from a product, drug, or food recall that came too late, you may be entitled to compensation. The Strom Law Firm can help. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case, so contact us today. 803.252.4800