Food Safety Lawyers File Lawsuits in Response to Cantaloupe Salmonella Outbreak

PENSACOLA, Fla., and HOUSTON, Texas — The Pritzker Hageman food safety lawyers have filed the first lawsuit arising from a fast-growing Salmonella Sundsvall outbreak linked to Trufresh cantaloupe sold under the brand names Malichita and Rudy. The national food safety law firm of Ron Simon & Associates has also been retained by multiple victims of the outbreak that has sickened at least 230 in 38 U.S. states. Canadian health officials have reported 129 laboratory confirmed cases in six Canadian provinces. 

The outbreak has hospitalized 96 people and killed three in the U.S., according to the CDC, while Canadian officials have reported five deaths related to the outbreak. Dozens of cases were reported at long-term care facilities and childcare centers, said Pritzker Hageman.

National recalls have been issued by Trufresh, Crown Jewels and Pacific Trellis. The whole and precut products have been distributed in stores such as Sprouts Farmers Market, Trader Joe's, Kroger, Aldi, Kwik Trip, Freshness Guaranteed, RaceTrac and Vinyard. The whole cantaloupes will likely have a sticker that says “Malichita” or “Rudy,” with the number “4050,” and “Product of Mexico/produit du Mexique.” The precut products may not be easily identified, so caution is urged. 

Ron Simon has set up a national Cantaloupe Salmonella Claim Center for the outbreak and reported that the firm will be filing multiple lawsuits in the next few weeks.

Pritzker Hageman's Salmonella legal team is representing the family of a 13-month-old boy who contracted a severe Salmonella infection after consuming tainted cantaloupe in a fruit platter purchased from Sam's Club. The child spent several days in the hospital with debilitating and painful symptoms, including bloody diarrhea, vomiting and fever, Pritzker Hageman reported.

“Parents should never have to worry if the food they buy for their children is safe,” said Pritzker Hageman attorney Ray Trueblood. “We put our trust in food companies to produce safe food that won't make us sick. It’s a parent's worst nightmare to see their child suffer in the hospital because a food company failed to follow basic food safety procedures.”

Food safety attorney William Marler also responded to the outbreak by calling for import restrictions on Mexican cantaloupe.