Two die in Ontario in listeriosis outbreak linked to plant-based milk recall

Article content

OTTAWA — Two people in Ontario have died after an outbreak of listeriosis triggered a national recall of certain plant-based milks, the health ministry confirmed Thursday.

Silk brand almond milk, coconut milk, almond-coconut milk and oat milk were recalled earlier this month, as was Great Value brand almond milk.

Recommended Videos

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Two die in Ontario in listeriosis outbreak linked to plant-based milk recall Back to video

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Play Video

Most of the recalled products have best-before dates up to and including Oct. 4. Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the location where they were purchased.

The Public Health Agency of Canada said there have been 12 laboratory-confirmed cases of the illness.

It said 10 cases were in Ontario, while Quebec and Nova Scotia had one each, with nine hospitalizations. People who became sick are between 37 and 89 years old and 67 per cent of the cases were in women.

The agency said people became sick between August 2023 and early July 2024.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said products contaminated with Listeria may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick.

Symptoms of listeriosis can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache and neck stiffness.

Pregnant people may only have mild, flu-like symptoms but listeriosis can still lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn or stillbirth, the recall notice said.

The president of Danone Canada said the 15 Silk refrigerated beverage products that were recalled have been removed from retail shelves.

“We are working with the utmost seriousness and in close partnership with the authorities to thoroughly investigate and shed light on the circumstances surrounding this event,” Frederic Guichard said in a statement Wednesday.

An outbreak of listeriosis in Canada has been deadly before. In 2008, an outbreak of the disease linked to cold cuts from a Maple Leaf Foods plant in Toronto killed 22 Canadians.