Updated · University of Minnesota Twin Cities · Jun 29
Ontario Traces 2024 Listeria Outbreak to Plant-Based Milk After 3 Deaths
Updated
Updated · University of Minnesota Twin Cities · Jun 29
Ontario Traces 2024 Listeria Outbreak to Plant-Based Milk After 3 Deaths
2 articles · Updated · University of Minnesota Twin Cities · Jun 29
Summary
20 confirmed cases, 15 hospitalizations and 3 deaths in Canada’s 2024 listeriosis outbreak were traced to contaminated plant-based milk products, which investigators say marks a first known outbreak linked to alternative dairy beverages.
June 2024 testing of an opened coconut-based drink from a patient’s home found Listeria monocytogenes, and whole-genome sequencing linked that sample to cases dating from August 2023 to June 2024.
19 of 20 patients reported consuming the same brand after Public Health Ontario added dairy-alternative questions to its survey, because standard listeriosis questionnaires did not cover plant-based beverages.
Hundreds of swabs tied the outbreak to a single Ontario plant, but the exact contamination point was never found; the brand recalled 18 refrigerated drinks in July 2024, production stopped, and the facility later closed.
Pasteurized plant-based beverages were not considered an expected Listeria source, and investigators said the outbreak shows leftover-food testing and routine questions on dairy alternatives should become part of future probes.
How did a patient's leftover drink unravel a deadly outbreak that standard public health surveillance completely missed?
Can new government safety plans, due by Fall 2026, prevent another fatal outbreak in the booming plant-based food industry?
A plant's 'haven for listeria' caused three deaths. Was a $7.5M settlement and its closure sufficient justice for the victims?
Five Hospitalizations and a Bankruptcy: The 2024 Listeria Outbreak’s Impact on Canada’s Plant-Based Beverage Sector and Food Safety Reform
Overview
The 2024 listeria outbreak in Canada, traced to contaminated plant-based beverages from Joriki’s Pickering facility, led to five hospitalizations and exposed major gaps in food safety oversight. Investigations revealed serious sanitation failures at the plant, which had previously been classified as 'not high-risk,' highlighting flaws in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s risk assessment. The outbreak caused Joriki’s financial collapse and shook consumer trust in plant-based products. In response, the CFIA began overhauling its inspection protocols and risk models, aiming to prevent similar incidents and restore confidence in the rapidly growing plant-based industry.