The complaint alleges a Florida woman contracted a fatal Listeria infection after consuming frozen blueberries purchased from a Publix supermarket.
MIAMI — The family of a Florida woman who died after developing a Listeria infection has filed a lawsuit alleging frozen blueberries purchased from Publix were responsible for her illness and death, according to the complaint and reports about the case.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the family of 56-year-old Maria D. Jimenez, according to reports on the complaint. It alleges Jimenez became seriously ill after eating frozen blueberries purchased at Publix and later tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. The complaint seeks to hold companies involved with the product legally responsible. The allegations have not been proven in court, and the filing itself does not establish that the blueberries caused her illness or death.
According to the lawsuit, Jimenez consumed the frozen fruit before becoming sick and eventually requiring hospital care. Her condition worsened, and she died after developing complications associated with the infection, the complaint alleges. Attorneys representing the family contend that testing and other evidence connect the illness to the frozen blueberries.
The case comes amid heightened scrutiny of frozen foods following a federal investigation into Listeria monocytogenes infections. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has investigated illnesses associated with certain frozen food products and has worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local health agencies to identify potentially contaminated products and determine how infections occurred.
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that can cause listeriosis, a foodborne illness that poses the greatest danger to pregnant people, newborns, adults 65 and older and people with weakened immune systems. Symptoms can include fever, muscle aches, nausea and diarrhea. More serious invasive infections can affect the bloodstream or nervous system and may be life-threatening.
The lawsuit’s central claim is that the frozen blueberries consumed by Jimenez were contaminated and caused her infection. Establishing that connection in court could involve medical records, food testing, genetic analysis of bacterial samples, purchase records and evidence about the product’s production and distribution. The existence of the lawsuit does not by itself establish liability for Publix or any other defendant.
Foodborne illness investigations can be complicated because symptoms may develop after contaminated food has been consumed and because products can move through several stages of processing and distribution before reaching shoppers. Investigators can use whole genome sequencing and other laboratory methods to compare bacteria collected from patients, foods and production environments when attempting to identify links between illnesses.
The family’s lawsuit seeks damages connected to Jimenez’s illness and death. The precise amount ultimately recoverable, if any, would depend on the litigation and any findings or settlement. No court ruling establishing that Publix or another defendant caused Jimenez’s death had been identified in the initial reports on the filing.
The case remains pending, and the claims about how Jimenez contracted Listeria remain allegations unless established through evidence accepted by the court. Federal and state food-safety authorities separately continue surveillance and investigations intended to identify contaminated products and prevent additional illnesses.
Author note: Last updated September 29, 2026.