During your next visit to the local supermarket, do not be surprised if you are unable to purchase all the items on your list. Just recently the Department of Agriculture announced the recall of Campbell Soup Company’s SpaghettiOs with Meatballs and ConAgra’s Marie Callender Cheesy Chicken and Rice frozen meals.
Although there have not yet been any reported illnesses resulting from the undercooked SpaghettiO’s, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that as many as 29 people in 14 different states have suffered salmonella poisoning as a result of consuming the Marie Callender product.
This is not ConAgra’s first time in the news. Less than three years ago, the company was slapped with numerous lawsuits when its Peter Pan brand peanut butter was linked to over 600 cases of salmonella poisoning. Kenneth J. Allen & Associates, P.C. represents Krystina Brugh of Lowell, Indiana in one of these cases. The 11year-old became infected with salmonella and eventually suffered kidney failure as a result of the contaminated peanut butter. Attorney Kenneth Allen said that the contamination resulted from inadequate inspection, questionable testing and unsanitary procedures.
The CDC warns that salmonella can be very severe and even deadly. Young children, the elderly, and individuals with weak immune systems tend to be more susceptible to the illness, which can last for as many as 7 days.
The CDC says that it has partnered with the United States Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration, as well as state and local health departments in tracking and identifying new cases and that it continues to investigate the outbreak. Given the recent outbreak, the CDC recommends to avoid the affected products and to contact your health care provider immediately should you consume the products and become ill.
