(Ottawa) Two people have died after a listeriosis outbreak triggered a national recall of certain plant-based milks, the Public Health Agency of Canada announced Wednesday.
Silk brand almond milk, coconut milk, almond-coconut milk and oat milk were recalled earlier this month, as was Great Value brand almond milk.
Most of the recalled products have expiration dates up to and including October 4. Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the place of purchase.
The agency did not provide details on the deaths in a public health notice issued Wednesday, but said there had been 12 laboratory-confirmed cases of the illness.
He said 10 cases were in Ontario, while Quebec and Nova Scotia each had one, with nine hospitalizations. Those who became ill ranged in age from 37 to 89, and 67 per cent of the cases were women.
The agency said people became ill between August 2023 and early July 2024.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says products contaminated with Listeria may not look or smell spoiled, but can still make you sick.
Symptoms of listeriosis may include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness.
Pregnant people may experience only mild flu-like symptoms, but listeriosis can still lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn or stillbirth, the recall notice says.
Danone Canada’s president said the 15 recalled Silk refrigerated beverages 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,” wrote Frédéric Guichard in a statement on Wednesday.
There has been a deadly listeriosis outbreak in Canada before. In 2008, an outbreak of illness linked to processed meats from a Maple Leaf Foods plant in Toronto killed 22 Canadians.