Pritzker Hageman Food Safety Lawyers Warn About Dangers of Listeria for Pregnant Women During Fresh Express and Dole Salad Outbreaks

MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Amidst the fast-growing Listeria outbreaks linked to Fresh Express and Dole pre-packaged salads, the Pritzker Hageman food safety lawyers are warning consumers about the dangers of Listeria for pregnant women.

Pregnant women are 10 times more likely to get Listeria than the general population. Listeria can cause complications such as miscarriage, stillbirth, and pre-term labor, as well as serious illness and death in newborns.  

What is Listeria?

Listeria is a dangerous foodborne pathogen that sickens about 1600 people each year. Since Listeria can survive cold temperatures, Listeria outbreaks are commonly associated with refrigerated, ready-to-eat foods, such as pre-packaged salads. Symptoms of a Listeria infection may include:

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Headache
• Stiff neck
• Muscle soreness
• Dizziness
• Confusion

During pregnancy, consequences for the baby can be devastating. Food safety prevention is particularly important because asymptomatic pregnant women may pass a Listeria infection to their unborn babies without knowing it.

According to the CDC, Hispanic women are 24 times more likely to contract a Listeria infection because outbreaks are commonly associated with traditional foods such as queso fresco.

"When it comes to sheer survival skills, no other foodborne bacteria even comes close to Listeria monocytogenes. Freeze it, dry it, hit it with high concentrations of salt, alcohol, acid or bile and Listeria responds with a shrug," said food safety attorney Raymond Trueblood. "That's a key reason why keeping it out of food is critical to keeping people safe."

Listeria Lawyers Investigate Fresh Express and Dole Pre-Packaged Salad Outbreaks, Lawsuits Likely

The Pritzker Hageman Listeria lawyers are investigating two separate Listeria monocytogenes outbreaks linked to Fresh Express and Dole pre-packaged salads.

At least 10 people have been sickened and one person died in the Fresh Express outbreak. On December 20, 2021, Fresh Express issued a recall for salads produced at its facility in Streamwood, Ill.

The Dole outbreak has sickened at least 16 people and killed two. Dole issued a recall on December 22, 2021, for salads processed at its facility in Bessemer City, N.C. and produced in Yuma, Ariz.

Contact an Experienced Listeria Lawyer Before Time Runs Out 

The food poisoning lawyers at Pritzker Hageman law firm have represented clients sickened in every major outbreak in the U.S. If you or someone you know got sick after eating Fresh Express or Dole pre-packaged salads, here are the next steps to take:

1. See your healthcare provider for a stool test.
2. Contact your local health department.
3. Talk to an experienced Listeria lawyer as soon as possible because laws called "statutes of limitations," which vary by state, may limit the amount of time you have to file a claim.

Contact

Eric Hageman
1-888-377-8900
[email protected]

Raymond Trueblood
1-888-377-89900
[email protected]

SOURCE Pritzker Hageman, P.A.