In summer 2024, an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to plant-based Silk and Great Value milks sickened 20 people across Canada, resulting in 15 hospitalizations and three deaths, marking the first foodborne illness outbreak linked to plant-based beverages in Canada’s history. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has completed its root cause investigation of the outbreak—which was unable to confirm the primary source of the contamination within the implicated production facility.
On June 20, 2024, Public Health Ontario reported the first case of listeriosis associated with the outbreak, as well as an initial detection of L. monocytogenes in a sample of Silk unsweetened coconut milk. CFIA confirmed the link between the illnesses and Silk and Great Value plant-based milk products, and initiated a recall on July 8. The beverages were produced at a Joriki Beverages facility in Pickering, Ontario, at which the affected production lines were shut down. Product and environmental testing confirmed the presence of L. monocytogenes in the Joriki facility.