Food Poisoning Law Blog : Food Poisoning Lawyer & Attorney : PritzkerLaw : Food Safety, Outbreaks & Recalls

Tainted tahini sesame paste imported into the United States and distributed by Krinos Foods LLC of Long Island City, New York, has been linked to a growing outbreak of salmonellosis that involves two strains of Salmonella bacteria rarely seen by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Salmonella Montevideo and Salmonella Mbandaka.   The CDC expects a prolonged outbreak because the product has an extended shelf life and some people may not be aware of the Krinos tahini paste recall necessary to stop people from getting sick. Minnesota, Texas, California, New York, Wisconsin and North Dakota have already confirmed the outbreak in their states.

The Bad Bug Law Team from Pritzker Olsen Attorneys is investigating the outbreak on behalf of victims, closely reviewing public data and following leads from victims who can contact the firm online or call our office at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free). Our case reviews are confidential and carry no obligation. We don't take a fee unless we win and our Salmonella litigation team has recovered tens of millions of dollars for victims of past outbreaks.

People started to fall ill with Salmonella infections in early March. The product to avoid is Krinos TAHINI sesame paste. The recalled lots have a code stamped on the lid between “EXP JAN 01 – 2014 up to and including EXP JUN 08 – 2014” and “EXP OCT 16 – 2014” up to and including “EXP MAR 15 – 2015”.

The initial problem was detected by Michigan public health inspectors during routine sampling of retail food products, which led to further examination by the FDA at the national import level. Minnesota Department of Health disease trackers were the first to tie the tahini contamination to illnesses. All results of state and federal investigations will be available for adaptation in the Krinos tahini Salmonella lawsuit.

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All indications in Las Vegas point to chorizo cooked at Firefly on Paradise Restaurant as the cause of a major Salmonella outbreak that has spawned a  sausage Salmonella lawsuit by food poisoning lawyers at Pritzker Olsen Attorneys. The law firm's Bad Bug Law Team represents multiple victims in this outbreak and is continuing to accept new cases. Patrons of the tapas restaurant who live in 27 different states became infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella after eating at Firefly during visits to Las Vegas from April 21 to 26. In addition, a large number of local residents in the Clark County area have filed claims.

Even if your illness was not life threatening, you could still receive substantial compensation from the companies responsible for this outbreak. Our firm takes no fee unless we win and our clients have received millions in damage claims. Submit your initial contact information here and a lawyer on the Firefly team will promptly respond to you to get the process started.

Investigation so far indicates that the restaurant received raw chorizo from a supplier that tested positive for Salmonella after it was cooked. The Southern Nevada Health District has relayed additional details that we abbreviate here:

• Of the 21 food items that were analyzed, one item, cooked chorizo (a type of sausage), tested positive for Salmonella. DNA fingerprints show the type of Salmonella in the sample matching those of the outbreak strain.
• As of May 20, 2013 at least 290 patrons and 4 employees who consumed food and/or drinks at
• Firefly restaurant during April 21-26, 2013 have been identified to be confirmed or probable
• cases of Salmonella infection
• There is no evidence of any disease transmission after the closure of the restaurant on April 26, 2013. 
• It is likely that the outbreak was due to local cross-contamination in the restaurant’s kitchen and not from a contaminated commercial food.

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The investigation of an outbreak of E. coli O157:h7 infections and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) in Georgia has found solid evidence linking the illnesses to the BBQ Shack in Toccoa, GA. Ten people from Georgia have fallen ill, and one from South Carolina. Five of these people developed HUS, a complication of an E. coli infection that causes renal failure, heart attack, stroke, acute diabetes, pancreatitis, respiratory distress and other serious health problems. HUS-E. coli O157 can be fatal.

E. coli and HUS Victims Have the Right to Sue for Compensation

Ten of the E. coli food poisoning victims ate at the restaurant during the weekend of May 2-4, 2013. The eleventh person most likely contracted the illness from another victim of the outbreak. All of these people, even the one who did not eat at the restaurant, have the right to sue the restaurant for E. coli food poisoning.

"Every E. coli outbreak has its own genetic fingerprint," explains Fred Pritzker, an E. coli lawyer who recently won $4,500,00.00 for an E. coli-HUS victim who ate tainted steak at a restaurant. You can contact Fred for a FREE consult here. "If, for example, a parent contracts an E. coli infection from a restaurant and then transmits the illness to his or her child, that child's E. coli infection is also linked to the restaurant. The parent and the child both have the legal right to sue the restaurant for compensation."

The investigation has not found the specific food item responsible for the outbreak. Epidemiologic, environmental, and laboratory investigations are ongoing, and test results may lead to the tainted food item.

"E. coli and HUS victims can sue a restaurant for food poisoning even if the specific food source of the outbreak is never determined," says Pritzker. 

Attorney Fred Pritzker and his Bad Bug Law Team have won millions for their clients in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against restaurants and others. You can contact them for a FREE case review here.

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Ten of 11 people sickened with E.coli poisoning ate at BBQ Shack in Toccoa, GA during the weekend of May 2-4, 2013, according to state health authorities. Seven of them have been hospitalized, five have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)

A meal at the BBQ Shack was the only common exposure reported among case-patients, health authorities said. They are still trying to pinpoint a specific food source, but believe the exposure was limited to the first weekend in May.

 Medical treatment for HUS can take weeks or months and cost tens of thousands of dollars. For family members, watching a loved one struggling to overcome a life-threatening illness can be overwhelming especially as the mounting medical bills and lost wages create a financial burden.

PritzkerOlsen is one of the leading E. coli litigation law firms in the United States. Their attorneys have extensive experience in the complicated field of food safety law. If you think you need help and would like a free consultation with an E.coli lawyer,  contact them toll free at 1 (888) 377-8900.

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Queso Fresco made at home from unpasteurized milk created a health threat in Minneapolis during the month of April due to an outbreak of Salmonella infections. Of the 25 Minnesotans who fell ill, 15 were hospitalized. The individuals are better now, but state officials have pinpointed the cause: Mexican-style soft cheese made without a license from raw milk purchased from a Dakota County farmer. Minnesota law allows consumers to purchase raw milk directly from the farm for their own consumption, but it may not be further distributed or sold. Additionally, cheese production facilities need to follow proper food safety laws and regulations, including licensure.

The state is using the outbreak to emphasize the public health dangers of raw milk. Even the cleanest dairy operation can't prevent fecal bacteria from contaminating bottled milk. Even small bacteria counts can cause outbreaks salmonellosis, E. coli poisoning, Campylobacter infections and other foodborne illnesses capable of causing serious illness and even death in some cases. The Bad Bug Law Team at Pritzker Olsen Attorneys is obtaining the public health docket in this outbreak to prepare for possible Salmonella litigation. To contact an attorney, call our offices at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or leave your contact information and a lawyer from the team will promptly respond.

This outbreak lasted from March 28 to April 24. The proprietor of the contaminated queso fresco made home deliveries and also may have sold the product on a street corner near the East Lake Street area of Minneapolis. Samples of unpasteurized queso fresco collected from the cheese maker were found to contain the same strain of Salmonella as the illnesses. Unpasteurized milk samples collected at the farm were also found to match the outbreak strain.

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Krinos tahini sesame paste under recall by the manufacturer since late last month has been connected to an outbreak of salmonellosis in Minnesota, where two children who are both under one year old have become infected by the bacteria. Foodborne illness experts from the Minnesota Department of Health are warning consumers not to eat Krinos brand tahini from the affected lots (see Krinos Salmonella recall for details). Minnesota officials took samples of the tahini from the homes of the Minnesota case patients, but the samples were still being analyzed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture Laboratory.

The Krinos brand tahini sesame paste was distributed nationwide through retail stores. It is sold in 1-pound glass jars, 2-pound glass jars and in 40-pound plastic pails. The UPC codes for the products are 0-75013-28500-3 (1 lb. jar), 0-75013-28510-2 (2 lb. jar) and 0-75013-04018-3 (40 lb. pail). The recalled lots have a code stamped on the lid of EXP JAN 01 – 2014 up to and including EXP JUN 08 – 2014 and EXP OCT 16 – 2014 up to and including EXP MAR 15 – 2015.

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Northeast Georgia has an E. coli outbreak of unknown origin that has sparked a public health investigation in Stephens County, a health department official has told WNEG Radio News in Toccoa. The station quotes Dave Palmer of District Two Public Health as saying seven cases have all appeared in the past couple of weeks and that experts are looking into it.

Each year in the United States, E. coli infections cause approximately 265,000 illnesses and about 100 deaths. Approximately 40 percent of these infections are caused by the strain E. coli O157:H7, which produces a shiga toxin that attacks a person's red blood cells and can cause HUS kidney failure, also known as hemolytic uremic syndrome. Children age 5 and under are most susceptible to HUS complications when they become infected by toxic E. coli. The other 60 percent of E. coli cases in the U.S. are caused by non-0157:H7 types of E. coli that also produce shiga toxin.

Stephens County is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Northeast Georgia. It is known for its friendly people, progressive government, quality schools, ruggedness and scenic beauty. Among the most scenic areas of the county are the 900-foot-high Currahee Mountain, the last mountain in the Blue Ridge Mountain chain, and 186-foot-high Toccoa Falls.

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Five people have been hospitalized with signs and symptoms consistent with Salmonella infection in an outbreak that public health officials have associated with restaurant facilities at Holiday Inn Bordeaux, near Fayetteville, North Carolina, serving Fort Bragg Army Base and Pope Air Force Base. So far, 44 people have been identified as potential victims of the outbreak, which seems to be contained to the month of May. Out of an awareness of the suffering and losses that are occurring due to food poisoning associated with the hotel's two restaurants, the foundation is being laid for a Holiday Inn Bordeaux Salmonella lawsuit.

The public health investigation by the state of North Carolina and the Cumberland County Department of Public Health is trying to pinpoint what caused the outbreak, but victims have in common the fact that they got sick with Salmonella symptoms within 3 to 4 days after eating at the All American Sports Bar and Grill, The Café Bordeaux or possibly from the convention hotel's banquet kitchen. If you have eaten at the hotel and are sickened with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, stay hydrated and immediately seek medical attention. In addition, you or your lawyer should contact with health department for notification to investigators who may want to ask you questions about what you ate and when you dined.

When choosing legal representation, consider the complexity of foodborne illness law and the experience a given firm has in negotiating comprehensive food poisoning claims or seeking those damage awards through litigation. Even if your illness was not life threatening, you could still receive substantial compensation from the companies responsible for this outbreak. The Bad Bug Law Team at Pritzker Olsen Attorneys is continuing to accept cases from this outbreak and is actively representing people in current Salmonella lawsuits in another, major restaurant outbreak. For a no-obligation review of your situation, call the firm at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or leave your contact information and one of the attorneys will promptly respond.

Bordeaux Cafe / All American Sports Bar Inspection Results

As part of the Bad Bug Law Team's investigation of the current outbreak, our attorneys have reviewed the public inspection reports for these facilities at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux, 1707 Owen Drive. In the most recent inspection, conducted in mid-March, 2013, the combined kitchen received an "A" grade, but inspectors highlighted three areas where significant demerits were found.

• An employee was observed not washng their hands between cooking food, serving the customer at their tables and then returning to prepare and cook food. This is a violation of section 2-301.14 of the food code.
• The glasses and plates were stacked and stored on the clean dish rack with food debris left in them.
• The foods in the walk in cooler were not meeting the required temperature. The sliced cheese, ham, monterrey cheese, corn beef, pre-boiled eggs, and chicken were discarded per management due to temperature violations. This is a violation of section 3-501.16. Ensure that all cold holding temperatures for refrigerated equipment in use shall be 41°f or below.

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The Holiday Inn Bordeaux in Fayetteville, North Carolina has been associated with an outbreak of Salmonella food poisoning that has 2 confirmed cases and 14 suspected cases. One of the Salmonella victims was hospitalized. 

All of the Salmonella victims ate food prepared on May 7 or 8 at the hotel, which has two restaurants, the All American Sports Bar and Grill and The Café Bordeaux, and a banquet kitchen.

People sickened by food served at a hotel have the legal right to sue for compensation. What each case is worth depends on a number of factors, including the severity of the illness, the length of hospitalization and the amount of time the victim could not work.

In some cases, Salmonella victims develop serious complications, including reactive arthritis (Salmonella damages the joints), colitis, meningitis (Salmonella in the brain), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and sepsis (Salmonella in the blood).

Contact our Salmonella lawyers for a free consultation here and tell them your story. They can help you know if you have the right to file a lawsuit against Holiday Inn.

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