The Quaker Oats Company, the Chicago-based food conglomerate and subsidiary of PepsiCo, recently announced a recall of granola bars that have been connected to a Listeria outbreak seemingly generating new headlines about dangerous food items every day.
Concerns about consumers being contaminated with Listeria have led a lot of major companies, including food distributors in the United States and Canada, to issue voluntary recalls of food products.
The most recent Listeria-related recall involves Quaker Quinoa Granola Bars, which are distributed throughout the US. Quaker Oats said that its supplier of sunflower kernels, one of the ingredients used in the affected granola bars, may have come from a facility contaminated by Listeria.
Although the recall is limited to the company’s granola bars, the affected snack items are distributed nationwide. As a result, Quaker Oats has called for an expansive recall from all 50 states, including New Jersey and New York.
Although the Quaker Oats Company was quick to point out in an official company statement that there have been no reports of consumers of the granola bars suffering any illnesses, it is telling that the food distributor acted so quickly to issue the recall. The reality is that any connection between the recent Listeria outbreak and Quaker Oats products could be devastating to the company’s wholesome, and consumer-friendly, public image.
Moreover, the fact that the recall was issued voluntarily may suggest a desire by Quaker Oats to avoid being hit with personal injury lawsuits in the event that any consumers of the food products happened to be contaminated by Listeria. In the worst cases, a Listeria infection can have serious health consequences, potentially causing death for children, elderly individuals or anyone with a weakened immune system.
For additional information about this product recall, view the AOL.com article, “Quaker Recalls Quinoa Bars after Possible Listeria Contamination.”
If you or someone you know suffered an illness or sustained an injury as a result of consuming a dangerous food product, you need to speak with a qualified personal injury and product liability lawyer. The experienced NJ product liability attorneys at Andres, Berger & Tran can help you get compensated for your illness or injuries. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
