Plaintiffs Allege Contaminated Chicken Salad Caused Illness

Two consumers have filed a lawsuit alleging that they contracted Salmonella from deli chicken salad they purchased at Fareway Stores Inc. Porter v. Fareway Stores Inc., No. 18-0050 (S.D. Iowa, filed February 20, 2018). The plaintiffs, a married couple, allege that the contaminated chicken salad sent them to an emergency room—with the wife requiring further hospitalization—and that they both tested positive for Salmonella. The complaint also states that Fareway chicken salad has been linked to “at least 28 confirmed and 66 probable cases of Salmonella” in Iowa by the state’s Department of Health, with reports of possible related illnesses in Nebraska and Minnesota. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a public health alert about the Iowa outbreak in February 2018. Alleging strict product liability, negligence and breach of warranty, the plaintiffs seek damages and attorney’s fees.