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

An initial ground beef E. coli O157 recall issued by McNees Meats and Wholesale LLC of North Branch, Michigan has been expanded. The updated recall includes about 2,200 pounds of ground beef products that could be contaminated with E. coli O157:NM, according to the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service. Below is a list of the recalled products after the expansion:

• 1 and 10-lb. clear packages of “McNees Ground Beef Bulk.”
• 1 to1.5-lb., approximate weight clear plastic bags of “McNees Ground beef patties.”
• 1-lb. packages of “McNees Ground Round.”
• 1 and 2-lb packages of “McNees Ground Beef Bulk” sold in red and white plastic bags.

The packages have the establishment number EST. 33971 inside the USDA mark of inspection. Production dates for the recalled products are as follows: July 7, July 15, July 21, July 28 and Aug. 4, 2011. They were sold at retail stores and restaurants in Armada, Lapeer and North Branch, Michigan and also directly to customers from McNees' own retail establishment.

E. coli O157:NM Ground Beef Outbreak Investigation

The investigation has been ongoing since Aug. 4 and is being carried out by the Michigan Departments of Community Health (MDCH) and Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). According to the Michigan Department of Community Health:

A total of five confirmed Shiga-toxin producing E. coli cases and four probable cases have been reported in Lapeer, Genesee, Isabella, and Sanilac counties. Illness onset dates range from July 18-30. Those affected range in age from 15-88.

People who think they may be sick with E. coli from ground beef should first visit a doctor and get tested to see if E. coli is the pathogen making them sick. If their case of E. coli can be linked to the same strain involved in the E. coli ground beef outbreak, victims may be able to file an E. coli lawsuit against the ground beef producer or the restaurant that served the tainted beef. Victims may be able to recover expenses for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and other damages.

It takes an experienced foodborne illness attorney to win such cases. The E. coli lawyers at Pritzker Olsen have recovered millions of dollars for people sickened by E. coli and other foodborne pathogens.

Contact the E. coli lawyers at Pritzker Olsen for a free case evaluation >>>

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E. coli O157:H7 outbreak researchers in Nebraska are continuing their study of cattle fed a percentage of wet distillers' grains -- an ingredient already known to lead to greater prevalance of E. coli O157:H7 in manure.

The USDA studies at the agency's Clay Center animal research station are important because the wet distillers' grains are being used as a relatively inexpensive feed supplement in the beef cattle "finishing phase" -- the last 120 to 140 days before slaughter. The grains are a byproduct of corn ethanol manufacturing.

From a food safety perspective, higher levels of E. coli O157:H7 in cattle manure is problematic. It raises the threat that potentially deadly human pathogens will enter the food supply and make people sick with life-threatening hemoloytic uremic syndrome (HUS).  National E. coli lawyers at PritzkerOlsen, P.A., represents victims of E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks and are actively following the study results in hopes that more prevention measures can be developed.

In early experiments with 608 steers, the Clay Center researchers showed that the incidence and prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 in manure, and the incidence on hides, was significantly higher for cattle whose corn-based feed included 40 percent wet distrillers' grains than those whose feed did not include them In follow-up studies, the researches want to determine what causes the difference in E. coli levels, and what can be done to reduce them.

 There's a working hypothesis that the fiber component of hay may scrape the 

gut wall, physically removing the organism and contributing to reduced colonization of E. coli in the intestinal tract. In general, research supports that cattle on grain-based diets shed higher 

levels of generic E. coli in their feces than cattle on a high-forage diet.

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The current Japanese beef E. coli outbreak involves E. coli O111, one of six prevalent non-O157:H7 strains of E. coli not routinely screened for in the United States even though they produce the same potentially deadly toxin as E. coli O157:H7, which the U.S. government banned from ground beef in 1994. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has estimated that these six non-O157:H7 strains cause approximately 113,000 illnesses and 300 hospitalizations annually in the United States, yet to date there are no policies to control them.

"Japan's nightmare with E. coli O111 should trigger changes in our own country,'' Pritzker said. "We shouldn't have to wait for a similarly sized disaster to strike here. It's another impetus for our government to get moving.'' 

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Salmonella is paired with four of 10 foods in a ranking of the riskiest combinations of foods and illness-causing bacteria released this week by researchers at the University of Florida's Emerging Pathogens Institute.

It's interesting to say the least that the list excludes Shiga toxin-producing E. coli and ground beef -- a combination so lethal that the federal government for years has employed a vast testing program to prevent hamburger E. coli outbreak.  E. coli O157:H7, which doesn't make the institute's list, is the most linked pathogen to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), perhaps the most feared of a food poisoning outcomes. 

The pathogens institute at the University of Florida said the combinations it chose are responsible for nearly 3.9 million illnesses, about 30,000 hospitalizations and 765 deaths per year in the U.S., 

1. Campylobacter/poultry,
2. Toxoplasma/pork,
3. Listeria/deli meats
4. Salmonella/poultry.
5. Listeria/dairy products.
6. Salmonella/complex foods.
7. Norovirus/complex foods.
8. Salmonella/produce
9. Toxoplasma/beef
10. Salmonella/eggs.

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 In response to an E. coli outbreak centered in Pennsylvania, E. coli lawyer Fred Pritzker is calling on the maker of Seltzer’s Lebanon bologna to notify customers who have been sickened about the long-term risks of infection by this pathogen.

Pritzker said in a press release that Palmyra Bologna Company of Palmyra, Pennsylvania, should implement a public awareness campaign to inform victims of E. coli O157:H7 and their loved ones to consult with their physicians about getting the testing and treatment that their good health demands.

“Case patients in this outbreak deserve to understand these risks and obtain the annual assessments suggested by the study authors,’’ Pritzker said. “It is time for the company responsible for this outbreak to take action.”  

 

Attorney Fred Pritzker can be reached at 1-888-377-8900 (TOLL FREE) or through his food poisoning contact page regarding this E. coli bologna outbreak. Mr. Pritzker is the founding partner of PritzkerOlsen, P.A., a Minneapolis, MN law firm that represents E. coli victims nationwide. Mr. Pritzker has won millions for food poisoning victims and has appeared on national and local news programs to discuss foodborne illness lawsuits and food safety.

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A bologna E. coli outbreak has grown to include 14 people with infections from the same strain of E. coli O157:H7, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in an E. coli outbreak investigation announcement. The CDC's report says that as of March 22, 2011, 14 persons infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli  have been reported from Maryland (3 cases), New Jersey (2 cases), North Carolina (1 case), Ohio (2 cases) and Pennsylvania (6 cases).

Investigation by health officials from affected states, the USDA and the CDC has associated the illnesses with beef Lebanon bologna made by Palmyra Bologna Company, of Palmyra, Pennsylvania. Palmyra is recalling approximately 23,000 pounds of Lebanon bologna products that may be contaminated with E. coli 0157:H7 and consumers are advised to check below for the list of recalled products.

National food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., has launched its own investigation into this outbreak and is reaching out to victims about a possible bologna E. coli lawsuit. For answers to questions about E. coli litigation, including a free case consultation, contact an attorney at the firm at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or we will respond to your contact information. Our firm is one of the very few law groups in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation and we have recovered tens of millions of dollars for victims of E. coli and other types of food poisoning.

E. coli Bologna Outbreak Information

According to the CDC, reported dates of illness onset range from January 10, 2011 to February 15, 2011. Ill persons range in age from 1 to 70 years, with a median age of 13.5 years. Seventy-nine percent are male. Among 13 ill persons for whom information is known, 3 or 23 percent, reported being hospitalized, and none have reported hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure that is associated with E. coli O157:H7 infections. No deaths have been reported.

• 6-ounce packages of "SELTZER'S BEEF LEBANON BOLOGNA" with lot code "01351" and best-by date of "Apr. 20 2011" printed on the package.
• 12-ounce packages of "SELTZER'S BEEF LEBANON BOLOGNA" with lot code "01351" and best-by dates of "Apr. 20 2011" or "Apr. 21 2011" printed on the package.
• 16-ounce packages of "SELTZER'S BEEF LEBANON BOLOGNA" with lot code "01351" and best-by date of "Apr. 22 2011" printed on the package.

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Seltzer's bologna E. coli outbreak has sickened at least four people in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and North Carolina. The type of E. coli is O157:H7, the dominant variety that is associated with life-threatening hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

The case patients in this outbreak fell ill between January 28 and February 12 and  public health officials are still investigating. To date, the bacteria has not been found in samples of the bologna, but epidemiologists have linked it to the outbreak based on eating patterns of those who were afflicted. Meanwhile, consumers are being warned not to eat Seltzer's beef Lebanon bologna that was produced in December 2010.

If you or a loved one has suffered gastrointestinal illness after eating the product, see a doctor.  For answers to legal questions about a possible Seltzer's bologna lawsuit, call PritzkerOlsen, P.A., at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete our contact form. A lawyer will call you and provide a free case consultation.

To date, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has not released a list of retailers who handled Seltzer's bologna that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. But consumers can check their own inventory for the following recalled items:

 6-ounce packages of "SELTZER'S BEEF LEBANON BOLOGNA" with lot code "01351" and best-by date of "Apr. 20 2011" printed on the package. 

12-ounce packages of "SELTZER'S BEEF LEBANON BOLOGNA" with lot code "01351" and best-by dates of "Apr. 20 2011" or "Apr. 21 2011" printed on the package.

16-ounce packages of "SELTZER'S BEEF LEBANON BOLOGNA" with lot code "01351" and best-by date of "Apr. 22 2011" printed on the package. 

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A beef Lebanon bologna E. coli outbreak in New Jersey, North Carolina and Pennsylvania has sickened at least four people -- a group of illnesses that state and federal health officials have associated with Lebanon bologna products made by Pennsylvania-based Palmyra Bologna Company, Inc.

A Seltzer's beef Lebanon bologna recall was announced today and the investigation into the outbreak is continuing. The four case patients had matching E. coli O157:H7 illnesses with onset dates between January 28 and February 12, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced in a news release. Anyone with signs or symptoms of foodborne illness should contact a health care provider. For legal questions or to receive a free case consultation, call food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A. at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete our contact form. Our firm is one of the few in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation and we have collected tens of millions of dollars for victims of E. coli O157:H7 and other types of food poisoning.

E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Children under age 5, seniors and persons with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to infections. Even mild E. coli O157:H7 infections can cause long-term health consequences throughout a person's life -- a reality that demands thorough claims recovery..

Seltzer's Beef Lebanon Bologna E. coli O157:H7 Recall

The recalled beef product is similar in appearance to salami. It is a fermented, semi-dry sausage. Palmyra Bologna Company is recalling approximately 23,000 pounds of its Seltzer's beef Lebanon bologna products, each package bearing a label with establishment number "EST. 474" inside the USDA mark of inspection, The products subject to recall were produced in December 2010 and were sent to distribution centers in California., Colorado., Maryland., New York and Pennsylvania for further distribution to retail stores.  The FSIS will publish a corresponding list of stores.  

For consumers, here is the list of Lebanon bologna products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7: 

• 6-ounce packages of "SELTZER'S BEEF LEBANON BOLOGNA" with lot code "01351" and best-by date of "Apr. 20 2011" printed on the package.
• 12-ounce packages of "SELTZER'S BEEF LEBANON BOLOGNA" with lot code "01351" and best-by dates of "Apr. 20 2011" or "Apr. 21 2011" printed on the package.
• 16-ounce packages of "SELTZER'S BEEF LEBANON BOLOGNA" with lot code "01351" and best-by date of "Apr. 22 2011" printed on the package.

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Ever since USDA Inspector General Phyllis Fong exposed as superficial our nation's  testing methodology to find E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef, we realize more and more the need to improve our defense against this very dangerous pathogen.

Fong delivered a report last month that showed the USDA's method for test-sampling cuts of beef meant for ground beef  --  beef trim -- is an insufficient screen to keep the bacteria out of hamburger -- which is still the most likely vector to cause multi-state outbreaks of E. coli O157:H7 poisoning. In 5 to 15 percent of these infections, the organism causes life-threatening hemoloytic uremic syndrome (HUS) or thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP).  Children under 5 are most susceptible to HUS, which is the leading cause of E. coli death and can ravage any person of any age with a cascade of medical problems starting with kidney failure.

The Center for Public Integrity, a non-profit organization committed to investigative journalism, helped bring Fong's concerns to life with the following, reader-friendly description of the problem. The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will be in charge of fixing it. Here's the Center for Public Integrity's take, with a few practical edits:

"Most of the ground beef consumed domestically is made of beef trim, the various bits left on a carcass after the choice cuts have been butchered. A device similar to a carrot peeler is used to slice roughly 4-inch pieces of trim off the cow, which are stacked into large bins, and sent off for testing before being ground. Under the current N-60 method, inspectors test 60 of these slices for E. coli. The process is overseen by the (FSIS).

Fong warned that, in situations where E. coli is present in 1 percent of the inspected bin, the current screening method would miss it over half the time. Or, as the report puts it, “if the contamination level is very low, FSIS is more likely to miss contamination than to detect it.” 

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The young woman from Ashtabula, Ohio, suffered E. coli O157:H7 poisoning and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) matched by public health investigation to an outbreak late last year. The illnesses were associated with National Steak and Poultry of Owasso, Oklahoma.

• Requiring producers to use microbiological decontamination technologies on meat products before mechanical tenderization.
• Requiring labeling changes that alert consumers to the existence of and dangers associated with mechanical tenderization.
• Creating and mandating public outreach programs alerting consumers to this practice.

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Schools from Michigan to Texas have been removing seasoned ground beef, hamburger patties and other products sold by a California company that is under criminal investigation for its food safety practices.

Huntington Meat Packing Inc. of Montebello, California, is under criminal investigation and the probe has led to the recall of 4.9 million pounds of beef and veal products made over the past year. USDA's interest in the meatpacker was piqued earlier by a finding of E. coli O157:H7 in a sample of the plant's beef.

The E. coli contamination prompted an initial recall of 864,000 pounds of beef patties and bulk ground beef products. Insanitary meat plant conditions at Huntington were cited in the second recall notice in which USDA announced the criminal investigation.

Both USDA recall notices said the meat from Huntington was sold to California distributors, hotels and restaurants. Now we learn from independent newspaper reports across the country that Huntingon meat potentially contaminated with E. coli was in schools.

In west Michigan, for example, school lunch programs expelled Huntington's beef patties, veal patties, diced beef, sliced beef and burrito filling. The school lunch items were sold under the Huntington, Imperial Meat Co. and El Rancho brand names. The supplier was identified as Chartwell.

In Arlington, Texas, a newspaper reported that the beef E. coli problem at Huntington led to the elmination of a taco roll call Fernando Taco Snack by Huntington.

Young children are especially at risk from E. coli infection because they are more likely to develop life-threatening hemolytic uremic syndrome, or  HUS E. coli. HUS is the leading cause of kidney failure in children and the leading cause of E. coli deaths. Other long-term effects from E. coli infection and HUS include stroke, heart problems, E coli in the brain, neurological damage and paralysis.

National food safety lawyer Pritzker Olsen represents HUS victims and other victims of food poisoning. Our firm is one of the few in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation. To contact an HUS lawyer at Pritzker Olsen call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete the contact form on the side of this Web page. 

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 A commercial meat market in San Antonio, Texas, is recalling 4,000 pound of beef cuts that could be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

The recalled meat from Culebra Meat Market was distributed earlier this month to restaurants around San Antonio and to at least one of the company's retail stores. The Texas Department of Health Services said the products included in the recall are beef stew meat, carne asada and ground beef. The production date was Oct. 2.

No illnesses have been reported in connection with the recall, as far as officials know.

A news release from the state health authority said the products sold to consumers at the company's retail store were packaged in various weights and wrapped in white butcher paper with no markings. Products sold to restaurants were packed in 10-pound boxes labeled with the company and product names and lot codes 100209 through 101709. The boxes have the inspection label “TEXAS INSP. & PSD. 740”.

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As we predicted, beef tri-tip is the source of the E. coli outbreak that has sickened attendees of a BBQ Benefit in Forest Ranch, California. The BBQ Benefit took place on Saturday, September 13, 2008 at Fire Station 24. 

Beef processors have recalled millions of pounds of beef products in the last several months. These recalls were all allegedly due to unsanitary conditions in processing plants. In one case, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service concluded that Nebraska Beef Ltd., a beef processor that had recalled over 5 million pounds of ground beef, had production practices that were insufficient to effectively control E. coli bacteria. "The products subject to recall may have been produced under unsanitary conditions," the government said.

Health officials have not reported names of the processor, distributors or retailer of the contaminated tri-tip associated with this E. coli outbreak in Forest Ranch, California. These parties are all potentially liable to the victims of this outbreak for medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of income and other damages.  We are representing several victims of E. coli outbreaks linked to beef products. Contact us for E. coli lawsuit information.

According to the Butte County Public Health Department, at least 18 people were sickened, 4 of them seriously. 

Two people are still hospitalized, one of them a six-year-old child. As happens to many children who contract E. coli infections, the child has developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a severe illness that can cause kidney failure, pancreatitis, brain damage and damage to other organs. As attorneys who represent people with HUS and families of people with HUS who have died, we have witnessed the pain and suffering and emotional distressed caused by this illness. Attorney Fred Pritzker recently spent two days in an intensive care unit with a family whose loved one was in a HUS-associated coma.

If you are a victim of this outbreak or a parent of a victim, please feel free to contact us for a free consultation.  Even if you do not hire us to represent you, we understand that it can be helpful just to have the opportunity to have some questions answered.

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