Note: Peanuts might contain Salmonella

A family in Boston is pursuing legal action against one of the largest grocery chains in America. Trader Joe’s is being sued by the Henson family in South Grafton, Massachusetts after their son contract salmonella from peanut butter purchased at the store. The boy developed a fever exceeding 100 degrees and had to be taken to a local doctor multiple times before the cause of the sickness was discovered. The Henson family is seeking financial reimbursement to help pay their medical bills, as well as attempting to raise awareness for manufacturing and packaging companies. Trader Joe’s themselves and Sunland, Inc are the companies named in the lawsuit.

The question remains on who’s really to blame; the manufacturer (Sunland) or the seller (Trader Joe’s). Packaging companies almost certainly have certain regulations they must meet before shipping off a product to be sold. There are several different factors to consider along the way, such as the environment the product was shipped in or any other forms of tampering. The lawsuit itself, which could easily turn into a class action lawsuit if other families step forward, will likely cost Sunland and Trader Joe’s a decent amount of money, seeing as they are directly at fault. A settlement seems to be almost imminent.

As someone who used to work in New York City and also visit cities like Washington DC, I can say that Trader Joe’s is one of my favorite larger grocery stores. It’s unfortunate to think that something as simple as a belly ache could actually be a serious sickness like salmonella. Parents already have enough to worry about in the case of their children’s safety. Regardless, this lawsuit should serve as a stark reminder that things like this can happen. It’s a shame that you have to be careful when purchasing something as simple as a jar of peanut butter. Now that’s what I call a sticky situation.