Seven people in four counties are sick with Salmonella infections in Wisconsin after eating fresh shell peas purchased at farmers markets. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and four local health departments are investigating this outbreak. Four of the patients live in Brown County.
Those sickened ate fresh shelled (loose) peas purchased from farmers markets in Madison, Fond du Lac, and Green Bay on Saturday, July 22, 2017. Anyone who purchased shelled peas from these farmers markets from July 19 to August 15, 2017 should throw them away, even if they have been frozen. The farmers markets are Dane County Farmers Market in Madison located on the capital square (Saturdays) or Martin Luther King Blvd (Wednesdays); Downtown Green Bay Farmers Market (Saturdays) located in downtown Green Bay; and Fond du Lac Farmers Market (Saturdays) located in downtown Fond du Lac.
Peas purchased still in their pod and peas bought at other farmers markets are not included in this warning. The peas linked to this outbreak are no longer being sold.
The symptoms of a Salmonella infection include abdominal cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and a fever. People usually get sick a few hours to a few days after exposure to the bacteria.
If you have eaten shelled peas from those markets and have been experiencing these symptoms, see your doctor. Salmonella infections can have long term consequences, even if you recover fully, such as reactive arthritis and high blood pressure. Some people can become so ill from these infections, such as developing sepsis or dehydration, that they must be hospitalized.
Pritzker Hageman law firm helps people sickened by food contaminated with Salmonella and other pathogenic bacteria get answers, compensation and justice. Our lawyers represent patients and their families in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against farmers markets, grocery stores, food producers, shippers, restaurants, retailers, and schools. Attorney Fred Pritzker recently won $7.5 million for young client whose kidneys failed after he developed hemolytic uremic syndrome because of an E. coli infection.
