On October 27, 2017, Harford, P.C., filed a food poisoning action on behalf of a Manhattan resident who suffered severe injuries from a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak in gourmet cheese products sold in New York.
The outbreak occurred from September 1, 2016 to March 13, 2017 and sickened eight individuals, including two people who died. One of the illnesses reported was in a newborn. Epidemiological investigations revealed all eight individuals had been exposed to cheese manufactured by Vulto Creamery—a gourmet cheese manufacturer located in upstate New York.
Vulto Creamery thereafter recalled eight cheese items: Heinennellie, Miranda, Willowemoc, Ouleout, Andes, Blue Blais, and Hamden & Walton Umber due to contamination of Listeria monocytogenes.
These cheeses were distributed nationwide, with most being sold at retail locations in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic States, California, and in the Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Portland, Oregon metro areas.
Our client contracted Listeriosis after consuming cheese manufactured by Vulto and sold in a Manhattan retail store. Listeriosis is a serious illness resulting from consumption of food contaminated with the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, which is one of the most virulent and deadly foodborne pathogen with a fatality rate of over twenty percent. Virtually all people who contract listeriosis require hospitalization. Those who are elderly, immune-compromised, or pregnant are particularly vulnerable.
Because of the public safety risks posed by Listeria monocytogenes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in collaboration with state public health officials, actively monitor listeriosis cases throughout the United States.
The case was filed in the New York State Supreme Court in New York County and is captioned David Rossman v. Vulto Creamery LLC and Murray’s Cheese LLC (Index No. 159587/2017).
