Testing conducted on Toasted Oats cereal resulted in one positive Salmonella culture from an open box of the cereal and two positive cultures from unopened boxes. The pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) pattern, or “genetic fingerprint” of the Salmonella Agona isolated from the cereal was indistinguishable from that isolated from human samples. Malt-O-Meal, the manufacturer of the cereal, issued a recall of all plain Toasted Oats cereal.
Ultimately, 209 illnesses were reported to public health officials; 47 were hospitalizations. Salmonella Agona cases associated with consumption of Malt-O-Meal Toasted Oats cereal were reported in California, Connecticut, Idaho, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Washington.
The Marler Clark law firm filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of all people who became ill with Salmonella infections after eating the contaminated cereal. Claims against Malt-O-Meal were resolved in 2000.
PRESS RELEASES:Class Action Lawsuit Filed Today in King County Superior Court Against Malt-O-Meal