Dale and Thomas Popcorn announced today is voluntarily recalling its ready-to-eat bags of Popcorn, Indiana-brand products because of possible Listeria contamination. Consumers were exposed to the potenially contaminated popcorn by purchase from retailers and internet orders. The recalled popcorn would have been sold on or after August 8 and have “Best By” dates of February 4, 2013 – March 12, 2013. The recall was when testing revealed that some “ready-to-eat” Popcorn, Indiana products were contaminated with Listeria. Obviously, these products were not “ready to eat” because of the presence of Listeria, a potentially fatal organism.
Symptoms of Listeria infection usually arise twenty-four hours after ingestion and may persist for two days in healthy individuals. Individuals who are prone to infection may have longer lasting and more complicated symptoms. Listeria infection is especially hazardous for pregnant women. Pregnant women should be particularly careful to guard themselves against exposure to contaminated foods, as infection can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, and a possible life-threatening development of infection in a newborn. Pregnant women are thirteen times more likely to become infected and suffer complications than the rest of the population. Newborns may be born with the infection if their mothers ingested contaminated food while pregnant. Bacteremia or meningitis may occur in the newborn, though the most serious effects of the infection occur while still in the womb. The immunocompromised, persons with cancer, AIDS, diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease and alcoholics, are likely to suffer severe symptoms and complications. Adults living with AIDS are up to 300 times more likely to develop serious symptoms than the general population.
Regardless of whether you are otherwise healthy and spent a few miserable days suffering from stomach cramps and vomiting or you are in a high-risk group, it is important that you seek medical attention immediately. The FDA can only track this outbreak through reports by state health departments. And you may be entitled to substantial compensation for your suffering.
Call the Merman Law Firm if you believe you were infected in this recent popcorn recall.
