October 11, 2024: Final Notice
This notice has been updated to reflect that the outbreak appears to be over and the outbreak investigation has been closed.
At a glance
Do not consume, use, sell, serve or distribute various recalled plant-based refrigerated beverages.
| Illnesses | 20 |
|---|---|
| Provinces and territories with illnesses (number of illnesses) |
|
| Hospitalizations | 15 |
| Deaths | 3 |
| Gender | 65% female |
| Age range | 7-89
70% of cases are 50 years of age or older |
| Food Recall | Yes, various Silk and Great Value brand plant-based refrigerated beverages recalled nationally |
| Investigation status | Closed |
On this page
Investigation summary
In total, 20 laboratory-confirmed cases of Listeria monocytogenes illness were linked to this outbreak in:
- Alberta (1)
- Ontario (13)
- Quebec (5)
- Nova Scotia (1)
Investigation findings identified plant-based refrigerated beverages from Silk and Great Value as the likely source of the outbreak.
On July 8, 2024, a food recall warning was issued for various Silk and Great Value brand plant-based refrigerated beverages, with October 4, 2024 as the latest best before date. For more information on the recalled products, please consult the Canadian Food inspection Agency (CFIA) recall notice on the Government of Canada Recalls and Safety Alerts website.
People became sick between August 2023 and mid-July 2024. Of the cases reported to us, 15 people have been hospitalized and three individuals have died. Many people who became sick reported drinking recalled plant-based beverages before their illnesses occurred.
The outbreak appears to be over and the investigation has been closed.
The food safety investigation included product and environmental sampling by the companies and the CFIA. The presence of the L. monocytogenes outbreak strain was confirmed within the production environment, however the primary site of the contamination within the environment was not able to be identified.
As a result, all production at the facility remains stopped, the manufacturing lines are being disassembled and the facility is being renovated. Production at the facility will not restart until the necessary corrective measures are implemented, including enhanced safety and production protocols, and the CFIA is satisfied that any contamination has been eliminated.
FoodWorld 