Two consumers in Canada have died after listeria infections linked to the recall of plant-based milk alternatives sold by Danone and Walmart.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) confirmed several cases of potential contamination by Listeria monocytogenes related to Silk, which is owned by Danone, and Walmart’s private-label Great Value plant-based milks.
Silk said on its website that the contaminated drinks were made in a “third-party manufacturing facility.”
Another ten people have suffered infections, with the majority occurring in Ontario, alongside one case each in Quebec and Nova Scotia.
The CFIA issued a voluntary recall on 15 Silk products, including its almond, coconut and oat variants.
Frédéric Guichard, president of Danone’s Canada division, said: “The news in this notice is devastating and our most sincere sympathies go out to the families and loved ones during this difficult time.
“We would like to reassure our consumers that we have conducted the recall and have removed the affected products from retail shelves, in close collaboration with our retail partners.”
The CFIA revealed that nearly 60% of the people infected are older than 60, while 67% are female.
“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,” Guichard added.
“Food safety, quality and the health of our consumers are, and will always be, at the core of everything we do. We are committed to providing updates as more information becomes available.”
The French dairy giant made a move into dairy-free by acquiring WhiteWave Foods, the US manufacturer of the Alpro and Silk plant-based dairy-alternative ranges, in 2016 for $12.5bn.
In 2019, Danone added to the ranges of dairy-free brands Silk and So Delicious in the US.
Last month, the UK saw the first death linked to an ongoing E. coli scare from lettuce.
Plant-based foods supplier This became the third company to announce a product recall against the backdrop of the E. coli outbreak in the UK earlier in the month.
