A Florida family has sued The Campbell’s Company and Walmart, claiming a can of SpaghettiOs bought at a Walmart Supercenter contained moving worms or parasites that allegedly caused a mother and her young daughter to suffer parasitic infections and other health problems.
Filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida by Mary Hubbard and Gregory Lovell, the father of Hubbard’s daughter, the lawsuit claims Hubbard purchased the canned pasta from a Walmart store in Okeechobee, Florida, and prepared it for dinner at home on June 6, 2024.
According to the filings, Hubbard and her daughter had already begun eating when Hubbard noticed what appeared to be organisms moving in the food. Hubbard claims she recorded video footage and preserved physical evidence showing “worm-like organisms” in the SpaghettiOs.
Hubbard claims she suffered a parasitic infection, gastrointestinal illness, sepsis, hepatic injury, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, anemia, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Her daughter, identified by the initials P.L., allegedly suffered abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, as well as a parasitic infection that required prescription medication.
The complaint brings negligence claims against both companies, accusing Campbell’s of failing to properly inspect, process, and package the SpaghettiOs and accusing Walmart of selling the cans through its Okeechobee store. Negligence is based on the failure to use reasonable care, a standard the family says applies to companies that make or sell food to the public.
Federal food safety law also prohibits the sale of adulterated food, including food that may be unsafe because of harmful substances, foreign material or contamination. The family claims the SpaghettiOs were adulterated because the can allegedly contained worms or parasites.
SpaghettiOs, introduced in 1965, remains one of Campbell’s best-known canned pasta products. Campbell’s changed its corporate name from Campbell Soup Company to The Campbell’s Company in 2024 to reflect a broader portfolio of foods.
The suit seeks at least $75,000 in damages from Campbell’s and Walmart and asks for a jury trial.
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