BRIGHTON — A 12-year-old Thornton girl was sickened with salmonella in March after she ate a Del Monte-brand cantaloupe purchased at a local Costco.
The strain of salmonella that caused her illness was the same strain associated with a March 22 recall of Del Monte cantaloupe, according to a lawsuit filed in Adams County District Court on behalf of Robert and Kelli Lopez by Marler Clark, a food-safety law firm.
“Del Monte had a responsibility to provide its customers with safe, healthy, unadulterated cantaloupe,” said attorney Bill Marler. “Kids should not land in the hospital because they choose to eat fruit instead of processed foods.”
Del Monte could not be reached for comment.
The suit says the Lopez family bought the cantaloupe in early March, and their daughter — identified as S.W. — became sick with a gastrointestinal illness about March 4. Her condition worsened, and she was hospitalized March 10-14. She is still recovering, attorney Dave Babcock said.
While hospitalized, the girl tested positive for salmonella, the suit said. The family was then told by health officials that the strain of salmonella that infected the girl was linked to the March 22 cantaloupe recall.
Del Monte recalled 4,992 cartons of cantaloupe that were potentially contaminated with salmonella Panama, Marler said. The cantaloupe were sold in plastic mesh sleeves that each contained three melons.
Marler said there have been 13 cases of salmonella Panama infection confirmed to be caused by the melons: four in Washington, five in Oregon, two in California, and one each in Colorado and Maryland.
This is the third cantaloupe recall Del Monte has initiated because of salmonella contamination in less than two years, Marler said.
In late 2009, the California Department of Public Health warned consumers not to eat Del Monte cantaloupe because of salmonella contamination and recalled 1,120 cartons of its product.
In 2010, the Michigan Department of Agriculture detected salmonella on Del Monte cantaloupe, and the company recalled 81 cartons, Marler said.
“By nature, cantaloupe is riskier than some other fruits, but with proper safety precautions, salmonella outbreaks are preventable,” Marler said.
The lawsuit is seeking damages caused by medical expenses, lost wages, travel-related expenses and emotional distress.
Monte Whaley: 720-929-0907 or mwhaley@denverpost.com
