Cooking Spray Explosion Results in $1.7 Million Damages for Burned Victim

Conagra Brands has been ordered by a jury in Illinois to pay $7.1 million in damages to a Pennsylvania woman who suffered severe burns when a can of Swell cooking spray exploded in a kitchen at her workplace. The verdict is the first of many similar cases involving burn victims and Conagra-made cooking spray brands. The company, which owns popular food brands such as Pam, Marie Callender's, and Chef Boyardee, has more than 50 pending cases against it. The accidents were caused by a venting system in the spray cans that had a lower heat threshold, causing the cans to release their flammable contents when they got too hot. Conagra has refused to issue a product recall and plans to evaluate its legal options, including an appeal.