A third person in Ontario has died as a result of a Listeria outbreak linked to Great Value and Silk plant-based milks, the Ontario Ministry of Health announced on Monday afternoon.
This announcement followed an update from the Public Health Agency of Canada, which reported 20 confirmed cases of listeriosis — the illness caused by Listeria bacteria — across four provinces. The outbreak has been traced to specific Silk brand products, including oat, almond, coconut, almond-coconut, and almond-cashew milks, as well as Great Value brand almond milk. These products have best before dates up to and including October 4 and contain the number 7825 in the product code.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency revealed that the contamination originated from a dedicated production line at Joriki, a third-party beverage packaging facility in Pickering, Ontario, used by Danone Canada, the plant-milk manufacturer. The illness onset occurred between August 2023 and mid-July 2024, with 13 cases reported in Ontario, five in Quebec, one in Nova Scotia, and one in Alberta.
The affected individuals range in age from 7 to 89, with 70% being 50 years or older. Fifteen people have been hospitalized due to the outbreak. Authorities are advising people to check their homes for the affected products and either discard them or return them to the place of purchase.
