Siskinds LLP and Slater Vecchio LLP have initiated a class action against the growers and major distributors of the Malichita and Rudy brand cantaloupes (referred to as the “Defendants”), recalled at the end of 2023 after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) confirmed positive cases of Salmonella in some of these cantaloupes.
Benefits of Class Counsel Partnership
Siskinds and Slater Vecchio have agreed to partner up and pursue this litigation in a coordinated manner. This approach is advantageous as it avoids a carriage battle between the law firms since there can only be one class action brought on behalf of the same class in any jurisdiction.
Partnering up is also advantageous in that it allows collaborating law firms to bring potentially different sets of expertise and a diversity of thought in strategic decision-making. Collaboration between law firms also allows for sharing the workload and expenses of litigation, which is often time-consuming and expensive for class counsel.
Cantaloupe Salmonella outbreak update
In November 2023, the CFIA issued a food recall for Malichita and Ruby brand cantaloupes distributed across several Canadian provinces. These cantaloupes were sold between October 11 and November 14, 2023.
As of January 2024, there have been 190 illnesses connected to the Salmonella outbreak, including 68 hospitalizations and 9 deaths in Canada; the corresponding figures from the US are 407 illnesses, 158 hospitalizations and 6 deaths.
On February 28, 2024, Global News covered the outbreak and subsequent class action filings by Siskinds LLP and Slater Vecchio in an article titled ‘Are cantaloupes safe to eat? Deadly salmonella outbreak now over.’
Cantaloupes recall class action
Siskinds and Slater Vecchio are seeking to recover compensation for Canadians affected by the Salmonella outbreak. These actions seek to recover damages on behalf of Canadians who purchased and/or consumed the recalled products, and Canadians who disposed of “unidentifiable” products (products for which it was not possible to tell if they were recalled) due to receiving notice of the recalls.
Cantaloupes are frequently associated with foodborne illnesses because they grow on soil where they can potentially encounter bacteria from animal feces. In the blog post titled ‘Large foodborne illness outbreak linked to cantaloupe contaminated with Salmonella,‘ my colleague, Bridget Moran, outlines the symptoms of a Salmonella infection and provides additional information on the CFIA recall and health notices issued by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).
If you ate or purchased recalled cantaloupe, contact us today.
If you or someone you know has consumed or purchased recalled cantaloupe products or disposed of “unidentifiable” cantaloupe products after learning about the recalls, we may be able to help. Contact us for more information or to receive a free consultation. To receive updates, visit our Cantaloupes Class Action Page and complete the form at the bottom of the page, or call 1.800.461.6166.