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

A California company is recalling 377,775 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

Because Commercial Meat Co. of Los Angeles did not hold its product after FSIS discovered a problem during routine testing, 377,775 pounds of potentially tainted beef was shipped to restaurants in California and Nevada, as well as one Federal establishment in California for further processing.

The products subject to recall were produced between September 7, 2011 and October 6, 2011. Each case bears a label with the establishment number "EST. 4873" inside the USDA mark of inspection.

The following ground beef products are subject to recall:

• 5,10 and 20 lb. cases of ground beef patties
• 10,15,20,30,40 and 50 lb. cases of ground beef taco
• 5,10,15,20,25,30,40,50 and 60 lb. cases of ground beef chili 
• 5,10,15,20,30,40,50 and 60 lb. cases of bulk ground beef

No illnesses have been reported in what is the largest E coli ground beef recall so far this year. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider.

E.coli O157:H7 is a bacterium that can serious or fatal infection. Symptoms include bloody diarrhea and dehydration. Children, who are especially vulnerable to foodborne illness, can develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a severe condition that is the leading cause of kidney failure in children in the United States. It is fatal in 5-10% of the cases.

The food safety experts at the law firm of PritzkerOlsen have helped families all over the country who have endured the hardship and loss that a foodborne illness can create. If you have legal questions about an foodborne illness contact them at 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit our free consultation form online.

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National Beef Packaging Co. of Dodge City, Kansas is recalling 60,000 pounds of ground beef due to to possible E. coli contamination. So far, the recall affects grocery stores chains mainly in the southeastern U.S. including Winn-Dixie Stores Inc., Publix Super Markets Inc. and Kroger Co. Those chains have stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, South Carolina and Tennessee, but the meat could have been sold throughout the country.

If ingested, E. coli can cause serious illness or death. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the recall Friday after the Ohio Department of Agriculture found the bacteria. No illnesses have been reported. The company has launched an investigation.
 

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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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Klement Sausage Company, Inc., of Milwaukee, has recalled 2,740 pounds of beef stick products after a retail chain reported consumer complaints about finding hard plastic and/or pieces of glass in the product.

The Klement beef sticks recall was published by USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service. It urges anyone concerned about an injury from consumption of this product to contact a physician.

The recalled beef sticks are in 8-ounce packages of  "Market Pantry Beef Sticks, Original.'' Each package is vacuum packaged and has a "Use By" date of March 1, 2012. The packages bear the establishment number "2426B" inside the USDA mark of inspection and indicate "Refrigerate After Opening" on the label. The beef sticks were shipped to distribution centers and retail stores nationwide.

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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.

Less than a month ago, an E. coli O157:H7 beef problem at Huntington prompted the recall of 864,000 pounds of patties and bulk ground beef products. No illnesses have been directly linked to the company's recalled meat, but this second recall is for operating under insanitary conditions.

A USDA press release says the violation and recall stem from a criminal investigation of the California meat packer by the Office of Inspector General with assistance from USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Details of  the criminal probe were not disclosed.

"The products are adulterated because the company made the products under insanitary conditions failing to take the steps it had determined were necessary to produce safe products,'' the press release said.

Each packing plant or processor is required to have a HAACP plan that describes the process controls needed to prevent food safety hazards and create a safe and wholesome product. "The investigation has uncovered evidence to show that the food safety records of the establishment cannot be relied upon to document compliance with the requirements,'' the press release.

National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen, which represents consumers in food poisoning claims, is monitoring the investigation of Huntington Meat Packing. For answers to legal questions about victims' rights in foodborne illness cases, call us at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete our contact form on the side of this Web page.

The recalled beef and veal products from Huntington were produced from January 22, 2009, to January 4, 2010 and were sold to distribution centers, hotels and restaurants in California. Here is the list of products subject to recall. They all are marked with USDA establishment number EST 17967. 

• 10 lb. boxes of "IMPERIAL MEAT CO. GROUND BEEF PATTY"
• 10 lb. boxes of "El Rancho MEAT & PROVISION ALL BEEF PATTIES"
• 20 lb. boxes of "IMPERIAL MEAT CO. GROUND BEEF PATTY"
• 50 lb. boxes of "HUNTINGTON MEATS GROUND BEEF"
• 50 lb. boxes of " HUNTINGTON MEAT PKG. INC. BEEF GROUND FOR FURTHER PROCESSING"
• 50 lb. boxes of "BEEF BURRITO FILLING MIX"
• 50 lb. boxes of "HUNTINGTON MEAT PKG. INC. DICED BEEF"
• 50 lb. boxes of "HUNTINGTON MEAT PKG. INC. SLICED BEEF"
• 10 lb. boxes of "Huntington Meat VEAL PATTY"
• 10 lb. boxes of "Imperial Meat VEAL PATTY"
• 10 lb. boxes of "El Rancho VEAL PATTY"
• 20 lb. boxes of "Huntington Meat VEAL PATTY"
• 20 lb. boxes of "Imperial Meat VEAL PATTY"
• 20 lb. boxes of "El Rancho VEAL PATTY"

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The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today a recall by Beef Packers, Inc. of approximately 1560 pounds of beef cheek products because of E. coli O157:H7.  The Fresno, California company discovered the contamination during microbiological testing.

The products bear the following information:

• 30 pound boxes of “Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation, Beef Cheek Meat, Sm Bx.”
• The boxes contain establishment number “Est. 354” and a “Packed On” date of “07/02/08”

The boxes of beef cheek were intended for further processing, so the products available in stores for consumers will most likely not contain the establishment number information. The affected products were shipped to distributors in Fresno, Modesto, Santa Rosa, and Vernon, California.

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