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

The CDC reports that 60 people from 10 states have confirmed cases of E. coli O157:H7 linked to Romaine lettuce. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Arizona (1), Arkansas (2), Georgia (1), Illinois (9), Indiana (2), Kansas (3), Kentucky (1), Minnesota (3), Missouri (37), and Nebraska (1). Contact our lawyers for a free consultation regarding a lawsuit against Schnucks and others.

Those sickened fell ill between October 10, 2011 and November 4, 2011. Ill persons ranged in age from 1 to 94 years, with a median age of 29 years old.  Among the 45 ill persons with available information, 30 (67%) were hospitalized, and 2 developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). No deaths have been reported.

Lettuce E. coli Outbreak Investigation

Collaborative investigative efforts of state, local, and federal public health agencies indicate that romaine lettuce sold primarily at several locations of a single grocery store chain, Schnucks was the likely source of illnesses in this outbreak. Contamination likely occurred before the product reached grocery store locations.

During October 10 to November 4, 2011, public health officials in several states and CDC conducted an epidemiologic study by comparing foods eaten by 22 ill and 82 well persons, including 45 well persons who shopped at Schnucks during the week of October 17, 2011.

Analysis of this study indicates that eating Romaine lettuce was associated with illness. Ill persons (85%) were significantly more likely than well persons (46%) to report eating romaine lettuce in the week before illness. Ill persons (86%) were also significantly more likely than well persons (55%) to report shopping at a Schnucks grocery store location. Among ill and well persons who shopped at Schnucks, ill persons (89%) were significantly more likely than well persons (9%) to report eating a salad from the salad bar at Schnucks. Several different types of lettuce were offered on the salad bar at Schnucks.

Of 18 ill persons who reported the type of lettuce eaten, 94% reported eating romaine lettuce. No other type of lettuce or other item offered on the salad bar was reported to be eaten by more than 55% of ill persons.

Ill persons reported purchasing salads from salad bars at Schnucks between October 5 and October 24, 2011. A total of 9 Schnucks locations were identified where more than one ill person reported purchasing a salad from the salad bar in the week before becoming ill. This included 2 separate locations where 4 ill persons reported purchasing a salad at each location. For locations where more than one ill person reported purchasing a salad from the salad bar and the date of purchase was known, dates of purchase were all within 4 days of other ill persons purchasing a salad at that same location.

Romaine lettuce served on salad bars at all Schnucks locations had come from a single lettuce processing facility via a single distributor. This indicates that contamination of Romaine lettuce likely occurred before the product reached Schnucks grocery store locations.

The FDA and several state agencies conducted traceback investigations for Romaine lettuce to try to identify the source of contamination. Traceback investigations focused on ill persons who had eaten at salad bars at several Schnucks locations, and ill persons at university campuses in Minnesota (1 ill person) and Missouri (2 ill persons). Traceback analysis determined that a single common lot of Romaine lettuce harvested from Farm A was used to supply the Scnucks locations as well as the university campus in Minnesota during the time of the illnesses. This lot was also provided to a distributor that supplied lettuce to the university campus in Missouri, but records were not sufficient to determine if this lot was sent to this university campus. Preliminary findings of investigation at Farm A did not identify the source of the contamination. Farm A was no longer in production during the time of the investigation.

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Health officials are still searching for the source of the St. Louis E. coli outbreak that has sickened 30 people.

So far, 55 food samples including ingredients from area salad bars and from victims homes have been tested and none has tested positive for E. coli. There are no other specimens at the state lab believed to be connected to the outbreak on which testing is still pending.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The CDC has set up a case study by contacting individuals in neighborhoods where patients have been identified.  The FDA is inspecting facilities of suppliers and distributors to area grocery stores.

Public health officials urge consumers to wash all produce thoroughly with water before eating, cook meat thoroughly, and wash their hands after using the restroom. They also urge anyone experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms, including severe stomach cramps, diarrhea or nausea, to seek medical attention.

Anyone with legal question about an illness associaed with this outbreak should contact the foodborne illness experts at PritzkerOlsen P.A. for a free consultation.
 

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Over the last three months, three E. coli outbreaks in Michigan have all been caused by E. coli 0157:NM, a rare strain of the pathogen.

Last week, Michigan health officials announced that three Maple Rapids residents had contracted E.coli infections. Two of them were children who required hospitalization for hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious, potentially fatal complication of E. coli poisoning.

A source of this outbreak has not yet been determined. However, during the past three months, there were two other outbreaks of E. coli 0157:NM:

One prior E. coli O157:NM outbreak was linked to ground beef processed and distributed by McNees Meats and Wholesale LLC, of North Branch, Mich. A total of five confirmed E. coli cases and four probable cases were reported in Lapeer, Genesee, Isabella, and Sanilac counties. Illness onset dates range from July 18-30. Those sickened ranged in age from 15-88.

The other prior E. coli O157:NM outbreak involved three people who ate beef at the Clinton County Fair and were sickened by E. coli 0157:NM. The beef was supplied by McNees, according to a story in the Michigan Morning Sun.

Prior to the McNees outbreak, E. coli 0157:NM had not been seen in Michigan, according to the Michigan Department of Community Health's Bureau of Laboratories.

E. coli poisoning can have serious complications, including HUS, which most often affects children under the age of 10. It is characterized by damage and destruction of the red blood cells, which leads anemia, blood clots, and damage to blood vessel walls. Complications of HUS are severe and can include kidney damage, seizures, coma, stroke and damage to the central nervous system.

Contact our E. coli lawyers for a free consultation regarding legal help for victims of these outbreaks and their families.

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As the E. coli outbreak in the St. Louis area continues to grow, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (MDHSS) is partnering with the CDC and FDA to find the food source. This is what MDHSS has reported to date:

1. Number of people sickened in the outbreak: There are 26 confirmed and 25 suspected. Testing continues.
2. Schnucks salad bar connection: To date, investigators have discovered that 85% of patients (17 of 20) who reported shopping at Schnuck's stores also reported obtaining food from the salad bar.
3. Foods that have been tested or are now being tested: Initially the focus was on lettuce, strawberries and Caesar salad dressing from Schnucks salad bars in the St. Louis area, but additional food samples from 5 Schnucks stores are now being tested, including Bistro Salad Dressing, broccoli florets, deviled eggs, diced hard boiled eggs, honey Dijon dressing, Italian dressing, pineapple chunks, red wine vinaigrette, shredded carrots, shredded radishes, shredded zucchini, sliced red onions, and the following packaged salads that included salad bar ingredients:  Bistro Chopped Salad, Fresco House Salad, Fried Chicken Salad, Garden Salad, Italian Salad, and Turkey Cobb Salad.
4. Negative E. coli tests: The Missouri State Lab has tested 17 food samples taken from individuals' homes and local Schnuck's salad bars, all of which were found not to contain E. coli or shiga toxin, its harmful byproduct. These samples included two strawberries retrieved from sick individuals' homes.  The remaining samples consist of lettuce, strawberries, and Caesar dressing taken from several Schnuck's stores in the region. 
5. Case study and call center: The CDC will conduct a case control study to compare what the people who became ill ate with what was consumed by individuals that did not become ill.  This will enhance efforts to identify food(s) which may be the source of the E. coli.  The CDC is setting up a call center to contact residents in neighborhoods where patients have been identified using random digit dialing.
6. Investigation of distribution chain: Yesterday, inspectors from the FDA arrived in St. Louis to assist in the inspection of facilities that may have been part of the distribution chain.

Our E. coli lawyers have been contacted by victims of this outbreak and their families and are investigating a lawsuit against Schnucks for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages and other damages. Contact our attorneys for a free consultation.

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National food safety lawyer Fred Pritzker is investigating an E. coli outbreak associated with the North Carolina State Fair that continues to grow. To date, over 20 people have been sickened, most of them children. North Carolina counties with E. coli victims include: Cleveland, Durham, Franklin, Johnston, Sampson and Wake counties.

Several children have developed a severe complication of an E. coli infection called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), the leading cause of kidney failure in children in the United States. Children with HUS are generally hospitalized for weeks or months and many require future kidney transplants.

An epidemiological investigation into the source of the outbreak found that most of the people sickened attended the North Carolina State Fair before becoming ill. State and local health officials are investigating the possible source of the outbreak. In 2004, an E. coli outbreak linked to petting zoo at the North Carolina State Fair sickened 108 people. Fifteen of those patients developed HUS.

In this outbreak, though, some of the E. coli victims did not visit the petting zoo or touch animals. If food served at the fair was the source of the outbreak, it was probably something that was improperly cooked or something that is not cooked on site, like ice cream.

National food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., is accepting cases for a possible E. coli lawsuit. Our E. coli lawyers currently represents E. coli victims and is one of the very few law firms in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation. Free case consultations are available at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or submit your contact information online and an attorney will call you.

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One sixth of cell phones in Great Britain have E.coli on them, according to a study released by scientists at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Queen Mary, University of London. And that’s just one of many bugs scientists found crawling all over the phones.

About 95 percent of Britains claim to wash their hands with soap where possible, but in 390 samples taken from 12 cities, researchers found bacteria on 92% of phones and 82% of hands. Those findings suggest that many people don’t wash their hands properly even after visiting the restroom, researchers say.

Once transferred to mobile phones, bacteria can survive and grow, then be transferred back to hands, or to faces or surfaces where the phone rests. It’s gross, but it’s also dangerous.

E.coli is a common bacteria that, if ingested, causes bloody diarrhea and stomach cramping. Children who suffer from E. coli poisoning can develop a life-threatening complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome.

In the United States, 73,000 people become sick from E. coli poisoning every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Of those, 60 die. 

"I hope the thought of having E. coli on their hands and phones encourages people to take more care in the bathroom – washing your hands with soap is such a simple thing to do but there is no doubt it saves lives,” Dr. Ron Cutler, who led the study, told The Telegraph.

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The Monroe County School District says the Abe Lincoln Elementary School building is not the source of a recent E. coli 0157 outbreak that has sickened three students at the school, according to a letter to parents on the district’s website.

“Abe Lincoln building is not the source of infection but once an infected person enters the building, it is necessary to raise awareness and help prevent the spread of infection. We do not know the source of infection at this time,” the letter says. The school has added extra cleaning routines and taught classes about good hygiene.

The letter instructs parents to watch their children for symptoms of a gastrointestinal illness, teach and practice good hand-washing, refrain from sending home-made treats to school and to keep sick students home. Healthy students should continue to attend.

"We've had a couple of phone calls where parents are concerned about sending their kids to school," Monroe schools superintendent Larry Brown, told WKOW news. "We don't have any reason to believe kids should not be in school."

Test results released Friday, October 14, confirm that the bacteria from one of the three cases from the Abe Lincoln school is a genetic match to the E. coli outbreak in Wisconsin that sickened eight other people and killed one child.

If you have legal questions regarding an illness associated with this outbreak, contact PritzkerOlsen, a national leader in food safety law, for a free consultation.

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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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Pride & Joy Creamery, LLC of Granger, Washington, has issued a recall of raw milk because testing of the raw milk by the Washington Department of Agriculture (WSDA) discovered that the product was contaminated with Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli.

WSDA and other public health officials are exploring the possibility that there has been human illness linked to this milk.

The recalled milk is sold only in gallon, half gallon and quart containers and bears the expiration dates of 9/30/2011 and 9/31/11. It was sold from an on-farm store at 2145 Liberty Road in Granger, WA and from the following retail outlets in King, Pierce, Snohomish and Skagit counties:

• Sno-isle
, 2804 Grand Avenue
, Everett, WA 98201
• Truhealth
,18001 Bothell-Everett
, Suite 109
,Bothell, WA 98012
• Marlenes Market
,2951 S. 38th ST.
Tacoma, WA 98409
• Marlenes Market,
 2565 s. Gateway Center Place
Federal Way, WA 98003
• Skagit Valley Food,
 202 S. 1st Street
Mt. Vernon, WA 98273
• Manna Mills,
 21705 66th Ave, West
Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043
• Madison Market
,1600 Madison
Seattle, WA 98122
•  Nature’s Market, 
26011 104th Ave, SE
Kent, WA 98030
• Sunshine Corner, Nutrition
15220 SE 272th, Suite F
Kent, WA 98042

E.coli infections can severe diarrhea, stomach cramps and bloody stool. Symptoms generally appear three to four days after exposure, but can take as long as nine days to appear. Health officials are recommending that anyone experiencing these symptoms contact a health care provider. Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), is a serious complication of E. coli poisoning in which red blood cells are destroyed and the kidneys fail. Infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems are especially at risk.

 Source: http://agr.wa.gov/News/2011/pridejoycreameryrecall.aspx

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A seven-year-old girl who had been sent home from a hospital four times, required an emergency blood transfusion by the time doctors correctly diagnosed that she was suffering from E. coli poisoning, according to a story in the Shields Gazette.

“I was made to feel like I was being a silly parent. I felt like they didn’t believe me,” said Sarah Coulson, the girls’s mother. “I’m angry and I can’t stop thinking about it. We could have put her to bed and she might not have woken up. It was only my husband making me take her to hospital that meant she got the treatment she needed.”

"Failure to diagnose an E. coli infection can lead to serious harm, including severe dehydration, hypertension, colitis and kidney failure," said food safety attorney Fred Pritzker. "That this young girl was sent home four times is unconscionable."

When the Coulsons first brought their daughter to the hospital in South Tyneside, England, they were sent home with a prescription of rehydration salts.  After their daughter became sicker, they returned and were again sent home. The next day they brought her back and doctors took samples performed and examination and sent her home again with a directive to drink more water. Later, a pediatrician performed another examination, and sent them home again, according to the story.

The Coulsons then decided to seek another opinion and brought their daughter to the Royal Victoria Infirmary where she was admitted immediately to the intensive care unit and spent two days receiving treatment, including a blood transfusion.

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One of the 14 people who became ill during the Cowans Gap E. coli outbreak remains hospitalized at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Pennsylvania, according to a story in the Chambersberg Public Opinion. The patient, a child, is being treated for hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a severe complication of E. coli poisoning. HUS leads to kidney failure and can cause seizures, strokes, heart failure, hypertension, pancreatitis and other life-threatening medical problems.

Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the Cowans Gap outbreak, but because all of the victims swam in the lake prior to becoming ill, the lake was closed to swimming and wading as a precautionary measure in mid-August and will remain closed for the rest of the year.

Water in Pennsylvania state park lakes and pools is tested twice weekly during the season. Since the closure, the park has added a third test each week and all results have been within the normal range, officials said.  In addition to testing samples from the lake, officials are looking at samples from the drinking water, sewer systems, rest rooms, concession stands and outside food vendors. 

Symptoms of an E. coli O157:H7 infection may include stomach cramping, mild fever, vomiting, nausea and bloody diarrhea. Health officials recommend that people who visited the park and become ill contact their health care providers.  

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Almost 90 percent of Americans make beef, chicken or turkey burgers, but most of us don’t know how to cook them correctly, according to a new survey commissioned by the American Meat Institute and conducted by Harris Interactive.

Most people rely on sight or cooking times to determine when their burgers are done. Only 19 percent of people who cook burgers use an instant read thermometer, the only way to determine if burgers are safely cooked, according to the survey. Of adults aged 18-34, even fewer use an instant read thermometer, only 13 percent.

Cooking beef to a temperature of 160 degrees F or poultry to a temperature of 165 degrees F is the only way to kill dangerous pathogens including E. coli and Salmonella which can cause serious illness.

Symptoms of E. coli poisoning include stomach cramping, vomiting and bloody diarrhea. In severe cases, a complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) can develop.

E coli contamination prompted McNees Meats and Wholesale LLC. of North Branch, Michigan to recall about 360 pounds of ground beef, JB Meats of Avondale, Ohio to recall more than 70,000 pounds of ground beef, this summer. And Cargill issued a 36 million pound recall of ground turkey after a Salmonella outbreak killed one person and sickened 110 others in 31 states.
 

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The lake at Cowans Gap State Park reopened for boating and fishing today after a two-week closure. The lake was closed to all water activities two weeks ago amid reports of E. coli illnesses associated with swimming in the lake.

Although the Cowans Gap E. coli outbreak has not definitively been linked to the lake, it was closed as a precautionary measure and still remains closed to swimming and wading. 

So far, 14 cases of E. coli O157:H7 — 11 from Pennsylvania and three from Maryland — have been reported. All of them swam in the 42-acre lake between July 12 and July 31 and became ill a short time later.

Symptoms of an E. coli poisoning contamination include stomach cramping, vomiting and bloody diarrhea. In severe cases, including several of the children involved in this outbreak, a complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) can develop. In addition to E. coli kidney failure, HUS can cause severe seizures, strokes, heart failure, hypertension, pancreatitis and other life-threatening medical problems.

Water in Pennsylvania state park lakes and pools is tested twice weekly during the season. Since the closure, the park has added a third test each week and all results have been within the normal range, officials said. To pinpoint the source of the outbreak, officials are testing samples from the lake, drinking water, sewer systems, rest rooms and concession stands. Outside food vendors also are being tested. Health officials recommend that people who have visited the park and become ill contact their health care providers.
 

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A boil water advisory put into effect Friday, August 19, after E. coli bacteria was found in a well at Cowans Gap State Park in Pennsylvania has been lifted. Drinking water samples taken from the well have all come back with good results, park officials said Monday.

The E. coli bacteria found in the well was not the same strain that has apparently sickened at least 14 people who swam in the 42-acre lake between July 12 and July 31.

Some of the victims are children who contracted E. coli infections and then developed kidney failure (renal failure) from a complication of E. coli called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). In addition to kidney failure, HUS can cause severe seizures, strokes, heart failure, hypertension, pancreatitis and other life-threatening medical problems.

Although some of the victims did drink the water at the park, all of them swam in the lake, officials said. The source of contamination in the park's lake is still unknown. All lake activities remain closed until all sampling results are complete, officials said.

Cowans Gap State Park is in Fulton County, Pennsylvania.
 

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Our attorneys are continuing their investigation of an E. coli O157:NM outbreak in Michigan that has been linked to the consumption of ground beef from McNees Meats and Wholesale LLC, a meat-processing and retail establishment in North Branch, Michigan. Nine people have been sickened. Known case patients range in age from 15 to 88 and live in Michigan counties of Lapeer, Genesee, Isabella, and Sanilac. The outbreak started in mid-July.

All nine victims reported consuming ground beef either at local restaurants supplied by McNees or by purchasing beef directly from the company. McNees has recalled 2,200 pounds of beef believed to be tainted by E.coli O157:NM.  State, federal and local health officials are working together to determine how widely the tainted products were distributed.

 E. coli infections can cause severe, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramping. In some cases E. coli can lead to more dangerous conditions like thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can cause permanent kidney damage. Several of the victims of this outbreak have been hospitalized.

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Our E. coli lawyers continue to investigate an E. coli O157 outbreak associated with swimming in the lake at Cowans Gap State Park in Pennsylvania. We are looking at cases involving children who contracted E. coli infections and then developed kidney failure (renal failure) from a complication of E. coli called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This is a horrendous illness that, in addition to kidney failure, can cause severe seizures, strokes, heart failure, pancreatitis and other life-threatening medical problems. Our attorneys represent children with E. coli HUS throughout the United States. Contact our attorneys.

The Cowans Gap E. coli outbreak has sickened 14 people, all but one children. The outbreak victims swam in the lake between July 12 and July 31, most during the weekend of July 30-31. Swimming in the lake prior to becoming ill was the only factor in common among all of the ill individuals.

To date, the E. coli victims include the following:

• 11 people from Pennsylvania, most from the south-central region of the state
• 3 people from Maryland who visited Cowans Gap in July.

In the process of investigating the outbreak, Pennsylvania health officials found a different strain of E. coli in well water at the park. The new strain of  E. coli bacteria was found in the raw water supply well that had not yet  been treated with the chlorine system. Park officials are urging visitors to boil all water or use bottled water for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water.

Cowans Gap State Park is located near McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania, in Fulton County. 

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Oregon health officials have confirmed that deer droppings caused the E coli poisoning outbreak from strawberries that sickened 15 people and killed one woman. Of the ten samples taken from Jacquith Strawberry Farm in Newberg Oregon, six matched the deadly strain of E. coli 0157:H7.

The Jaquith Strawberry Farm E. coli Outbreak has sickened people in five Oregon counties: Multnomah, Washington Clackamas, Yamhill and Clatsop. 

“An Oregon Public Health Communicable Disease team has been investigating the outbreak for several weeks,” said Katrina Hedberg, M.D., M.P.H., Oregon Public Health state epidemiologist. “There were six samples that positively matched the E. coli that was found in the people who were infected.”

Strawberries from the affected fields were produced last month by Jaquith Strawberry Farm, which is located in Newberg. In response to this outbreak, Jaquith Farm has recalled its products. At this time, the Oregon Department of Agriculture believes it has identified those operators and locations that possibly sold Jaquith strawberries. Jaquith sold its strawberries to buyers who then resold them at roadside stands, farm stands and farmers' markets.

The following list (not all-inclusive) provides current locations known to have distributed Jaquith farm strawberries:

• Astoria Farmer's Market Downtown
  June 25, July 2, July 9, July 17, and July 23
  Bart & Tammy VanDomelen
• Vancouver Farmer's Market
  Last two-thirds of growing season
  Crawford Nursery and Produce (34849 SW Tongue Lane, Cornelius, OR)
• Lake Oswego Farmer's Market
  Last two-thirds of growing season
  Crawford Nursery and Produce (34849 SW Tongue Lane, Cornelius, OR)
• Tillamook Farmer's Market
  Last two-thirds of growing season
  Crawford Nursery and Produce (34849 SW Tongue Lane, Cornelius, OR)
• Ilwaco, WA Farmers Market in July
  June 23-July 28
  Ed Rice
• Farmers' market at 6th & Esther St., Vancouver, WA
  July 9, 16, 23
  Valley Berry Farms
• Farmers' market in Bend, OR (berry patch)
  June-July
  Valley Berry Farms
• Farmers' market at 3rd & Miller St., Gresham, OR (Farmer's Outlet Booth)
  June-July
  Debbie Loury
• Fir Point Farms, 14601 Arndt Rd NE, Aurora, OR
  June-July
  Lee Farms and Fir Point Farms
• Growers Outlet
  16145 NE Glisan, Portland, OR
  June 11-July 18
• Lee Farms, 21975 SW 65th, Tualatin, OR
  June-July
  Lee Farms and Fir Point Farms
• Fir Point Farms, 14601 Arndt Rd NE, Aurora, OR
  June-July
• Roadside stand at NW Laidlaw and Bethany Blvd Portland, OR
  June 13-July 20
  NW Fresh Produce
• Retail outlet at 18300 NW West Union Rd, Portland, OR
  June 13-July 20
  NW Fresh Produce
• Petrich General Store
  23915 SW Scholls Ferry Rd., Hillsboro, OR
• Ray's Produce
  205 N. Main St., Newberg, OR
  June 21-July 25
• Ray's Old Town Produce
  22464 SW Pine St., Sherwood, OR
  July 10-July 17 & July 23
• The Barn
  5211 NE 148th, Portland, OR
  July 8-July 23
• Roadside/ farm stand
  9400 SW Heikes Dr, Hillsboro, OR
  June 27-July 28
  Dave Heikes
• Roadside/ farm stand
  34840 SW Johnson School Rd., Cornelius, OR
  July 8, 15, and 22
  Duyck's Peachy Pig Farms
• Roadside/ farm stand
  Marlin and Hwy 101 in Astoria, OR
  June 23-July 28
  Ed Rice
• Roadside/ farm stand
  Otis in Lincoln City
  June 23-July 28
  Ed Rice
• Roadside/ farm stand
  1690 Thatcher Rd, Forest Grove, OR
  June 23-July 28
  Ed Rice
• Roadside/ farm stand
  136th and NE Sandy, Portland, OR
  June 11- July 18
  Louisa
• Roadside/ farm stand
  Garden Home Rd & Multnomah Blvd in Portland, OR
  July 5-July 23
  Hand's Berry Stands
• Roadside/ farm stand
  Town of Rainer on Main St (Hwy 30)
  July 5-July 23
  Hand's Berry Stands
• Roadside/ farm stand
  Walker Rd and Cedar Hills Blvd
  July 5-July 23
  Hand's Berry Stands
• Roadside/ farm stand
  Tigard Grange in Tigard, Oregon
  July 5-July 23
  Hand's Berry Stands
• Roadside/ farm stand
  4th St in Cornelius, OR
  July 5-July 23
  Hand's Berry Stands
• Roadside/ farm stand
  67380 E Hwy 26, Welches, OR
  Mid June-end of July
  Hoodland Produce
• Roadside/ farm stand
  22173 Fisher Rd., Banks, OR
  June 21-July 27
  Peggy Estes
• Roadside/ farm stand
  28150 SE Hwy 212, Boring, OR
  July 16-July 22 Schedeen Farms
• Roadside/ farm stand
  845 NE 10th, Gresham, OR
  July 16-July 22
  Schedeen Farms
• Roadside/ farm stand
  24500 SW Scholls Ferry Rd., Hillsboro, OR
  Third week of June to Third week of July
  Smith Berry Barn
• Roadside/ farm stand
  Berry Stand-on College St in Newberg, OR
  June 20-mid July
  Steve Jaquith
• Roadside/ farm stand
  12930 SW Scholls Ferry Rd Tigard, OR
  June 15-July 22
  Westgate Baptist Church
• Roadside/ farm stand
  Roy Rogers Rd. 1/4 mile South of Scholls Ferry Rd., Sherwood, OR
  June-July
  Joe & Jerry's Berry Fruit Stand
• Roadside / farm stand
  Hwy 99 & McDonald Lane, McMinnville, OR
  June 1-July 22
  Ray's Produce Inc
• Roadside / farm stand
  23rd & Sandy, Portland, OR
  June-July
  Ron Spada
• Roadside / farm stand
  8481 SE Jannsen Rd., Clackamas, OR
  July 8-July 23
  Hartnell Farms
• Roadside / farm stand
  146 W Columbia Hwy., Troutdale, OR
  June-July
  Troutdale Fruit Stop
• Roadside / farm stand
  Skyline Blvd & NW Cornell, Portland, OR
  June-July
  Tim Rice
• Roadside / farm stand
  2318 SE 302nd Ave., Troutdale, OR
  July 17-July 23
  Shelly Burns
• Roadside / farm stand
  4640 SW Hillsboro Hwy, Hillsboro, OR
  June 10-June16
  Florentine Salazar
• Roadside / farm stand
  34035 Hwy 213, Molalla, OR
  July 7-July 23
  Valley Berry Farm
• Roadside / farm stand
  Dayton Ave & Hwy 99, Dundee, OR
  June 18-June 30
  Debbie Carlile
• Roadside / farm stand
  1601 NE Market St., Fairview, OR
  July 16-July 20
  Windance Farms
• Roadside / farm stand
  2124 Mason Rd., Hood River, OR
  July 15-July 25
  Wells & Sons Produce Stand
• Roadside / farm stand
  845 N Columbia River Hwy, St. Helens, OR
  June 14-July 29
  Lana Dee Farms
• Roadside / farm stand
  51925 Columbia River Hwy, Scappoose, OR
  June 14-July 29
  Lana Dee Farms
• Roadside / farm stand
  6485 NW Cornelius Pass Rd., Hillsboro, OR
  June 14-July 29
  Lana Dee Farms
• Roadside / farm stand
  1675 NW Cornelius Pass Rd June 14-July 29
  Jim Fields
• Roadside / farm stand
  76 Gas Station Lot on Sunset Hwy & Glencoe Rd., North Plains, OR
  June 14-July 29
  Jim Fields
• Roadside / farm stand
  30240 NW West Union Rd., North Plains, OR
  June 14-July 29
  Ken Fields
• Roadside / farm stand
  Baseline & 331st St, Hillsboro, OR June 14-July 29
  Ken Fields
• Roadside / farm stand
  138th & Farmington, Beaverton, OR
  June-July
  Williamson Family Fruit Stand
• Roadside / farm stand
  5801 SW TV Hwy, Hillsboro, OR
  June-July
  Williamson Family Fruit Stand
• Roadside / farm stand
  124th & Stark St., Portland, OR
  July 16-July 22
  Schedeen Farms

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Our attorneys are investigating an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Pennsylvania that has sickened at least 13 people, including children who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).  The outbreak has been associated with swimming in the lake at Cowans Gap State Park.

Those sickened in the outbreak include:

• six people from Franklin County
• four from Lancaster County
• one from Huntingdon County
• two from Maryland.

During this outbreak, eight children have been treated at Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, for HUS. Of those, five had been in the lake at Cowans Gap.

Those sickened swam in the Cowans Gap lake from July 12 and July 31.

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An E. coli outbreak has sickened eleven girls who attended Camp Shawnee, an Ogden Valley summer camp, according to the Weber-Morgan Health Department. Investigators found E. coli bacteria in the kitchen water and spigots at Camp Shawnee and Camp Ben Lomond, which share a water system.

Utah health investigators are awaiting test results to determine if the E. coli bacteria found in the water system is the same E. coli strain that sickened the girls. The girls sickened in this outbreak spent August 2 to 5 at Camp Shawnee.

One girl, Emily Buck, had to be hospitalized for two days, according to news reports. E. coli can cause severe dehydration, and research has shown that even mild cases of E. coli poisoning can increase the risk of kidney problems later in life.

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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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E. coli O157:NM is a dangerous pathogen at the center of a Michigan foodborne illness outbreak linked to ground beef products from McNees Meats and Wholesale, LLC, in North Branch, Michigan. So far, five confirmed cases are included in the outbreak and four more cases are likely part of the outbreak, according to Michigan Departments of Community Health (MDCH) and Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). Cases have been reported in Lapeer, Genesee, Isabella, and Sanilac counties with onset dates between July 18 and 30, 2011.

Typically, the most common E. coli strain that is reported in the news media when an outbreak like this occurs, is E. coli O157:H7. However, "E.coli O157: NM differs from E. Coli O157:H7 in that it lacks the flagellar H antigen, making it non-motile (NM)," according to the E. coli lawyers at Pritzker Olsen.

The company initially recalled only 360 pounds of beef in connection with the outbreak, but has since expanded the recall to 2,200 pounds of ground beef products, according to the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The current list of recalled products includes:

• 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.

"It is concerning that two-thirds of the confirmed and probable cases in this outbreak had to be hospitalized," said Dr. Dean Sienko, Interim Medical Director for MDCH. "People who shop at McNees Meats are advised not to eat ground beef they have purchased there and to throw out any McNees ground beef that may be in their refrigerators or freezers."

People who have been sickened in an E. coli outbreak may be able to file an E. coli lawsuit and recover money for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and other damages. The E. coli attorneys at Pritzker Olsen have recovered millions of dollars on behalf of E. coli victims and victims of other food borne pathogens.

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

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Eating ground beef has become a high risk activity, and consumers need to be informed of that risk. In Michigan 9 people have E. coli infections because they ate ground beef processed by McNees Meats and Wholesale LLC, a meat-processing and retail establishment in North Branch, Mich.

Six of the people sickened landed in the hospital. Because most of the people sickened were adults, it is likely that at least one developed thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) and/or hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). These severe complications of an E. coli O157 infection cause kidney failure, central nervous system damage (strokes, seizures, paralysis, etc.), pancreatitis and death.

The victims of this outbreak and their families need to know the following:

1. They are not to blame even if the ground beef was cooked at home. McNees is still responsible for the pain and suffering caused by their ground beef.
2. E. coli O157 food poisoning is preventable with good sanitation and product testing.
3. The USDA, which is supposed to police the beef industry, is also supposed to promote the industry--bad idea.
4. You have the right to sue McNees and any other parties that are legally responsible for the E. coli infection and every medical problem resulting from it.
5. You have the right to ask for expected future medical expenses, pain and suffering, and income loss. Our attorneys hire experts to come up with these figures. You can contact Fred Pritzker, lead attorney for our E. coli cases, for a free consultation.
6. Sadly, you are not alone. For support, and you need it, visit Stop Foodborne Illness. This is a nonprofit organization run by families who have gone through what you are going through now.

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An outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 has been linked to swimming at the lake in Cowans Gap State Park in Pennsylvania. Dr. Andre Weltman of the Pennsylvania Health Department told the media that there are six confirmed E. coli 0157:H7 cases involving children who had been swimming in the lake over the past month: 4 from Franklin County, one from Huntingdon County and one from Maryland.

At least four of these children have hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a severe illness that is the leading cause of kidney failure in children in the United States. To date, three of the children with E. coli HUS have required dialysis for kidney failure. When HUS progresses to this point is when a lot of other problems surface, including seizures, brain damage, pancreatitis, heart failure, blindness and other serious health problems. It is fatal in 5-10% of the cases.

In response to this outbreak, Pennsylvania officials closed the lake at Cowans Gap State Park yesterday in the late afternoon:

All water activities at Cowans Gap State park including swimming, wading, boating and fishing is prohibited until further notice. We are doing this to insure that we have safe water in the lake for these recreational activities.

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Update: Since this post was first written, the number of confirmed cases of E. coli O157 reported in this outbreak has risen from 3 to 5..

Five confirmed cases of E. coli O157  and 4 probable cases have been linked to ground beef processed and distributed by McNees Meats and Wholesale LLC., a North Branch, Michigan, company.  Those sickened live in the following Michigan counties: Lapeer County, Genesee County, Isabella County, and Sanilac County.

Six of the people sickened were hospitalized. E. coli can cause severe dehydration, colitis, hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) and other serious medical problems. We have had clients who were hospitalized for months.

Illness onset dates range from July 18-30. Those affected range in age from 15-88.

Michigan health officials informed the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the outbreak on August 4. Epidemiological evidence quickly pointed to McNees ground beef as the source.

In response to this outbreak, McNees Meats recalled approximately 360 pounds of ground beef product products.

The products subject to recall include:

• 36 - 10 lb. Bags of “McNees Ground Beef Bulk.”

Each clear plastic bag bears establish number “EST. 33971” within the USDA mark of inspection. The products subject to recall were produced on July 15, and July 21, 2011, and sold to restaurants in Armada, Lapeer and North Branch, Mich. The products were also sold from a retail establishment owned by McNees Meats and Wholesale, LLC.

Our E. coli food poisoning attorneys are available for a free consultation regarding a lawsuit against McNees Meats and Wholesale LLC.

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Our attorneys are investigating an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Northwest Oregon associated with eating fresh strawberries from Jaquith Strawberry Farm in Newberg, Oregon.  According to the Oregon Department of Public Health, at least 10 people were sickened last month, including one person who died.

Attorney Fred Pritzker recently won over a million dollars for a family whose loved one died in Oregon. "The victims of this outbreak and the family of the person who died deserve compensation," said Pritzker. "Sellers of contaminated products need to be held accountable, even if wild animals were the source of the contamination."

Ten people have confirmed E. coli O157:H7 infections caused by a single strain. These individuals include residents of Washington, Clatsop, and Multnomah counties. Six other people in northwest Oregon also have recently developed an E. coli O157:H7 infection and appear to be part of this outbreak. Of the confirmed cases, four have been hospitalized, and one elderly woman in Washington County died from hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), kidney failure associated with E. coli O157:H7 infection, There were 12 females and four males among the cases, and their ages ranged from 4 to 85. They fell ill between July 10 and July 29.

Jaquith sold its strawberries to buyers who then resold them at roadside stands and farmers’ markets. In response to this outbreak, Jaquith has recalled its products.

None of the following have been implicated in this outbreak:

• Berries other than strawberries;
• Strawberries sold since Aug. 1;
• Strawberries sold south of Benton County or east of Multnomah County;
• Strawberries sold in supermarkets;
• Strawberries picked at Jaquith Strawberry Farm’s U-pick field.

When a potential outbreak is investigated, public health officials ask a slate of questions of those who have been sickened, family members and health care providers. The questions are to find common exposures and “trace back” to the source.

“If someone gets sick, we ask questions about everything from what they’ve eaten, to whether they’ve been to common gatherings, to whether they’ve been swimming in a particular place, and then out of this we try to find commonalities,” he said.“The commonality among these cases has been strawberries at roadside stands and farmers’ markets supplied by this one farm last month.”

While investigating the farm, William Keene, senior epidemiologist with Oregon Public Health, saw dear roaming through the strawberry field. Keene is having deer feces tested for E. coli to determine if deer are the source of the E. coli contamination, Keene told the Oregonian.

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Another child has died from an E. coli infection. Health officials are looking at the petting zoo at the Hendricks County Fair as a possible source of the illness.

We are currently representing a family whose little boy contracted an E. coli infection after visiting another petting zoo. In that case, the boy developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), but survived.

Petting zoos at fairs and other locations need to be safer for children:

• Soap and warm, running water should be available for washing hands in or near the petting zoo and at many stations throughout the fairgrounds.
• Most people do not understand that animals can have dangerous pathogens like E. coli O157:H7 on them. Large warning signs with eye-catching graphics should be displayed throughout the petting zoo area and the entire fairgrounds.
• Staff at the petting zoo should discuss the importance of hand washing with visitors.

The family of the young girl who died, Kalei Welch, wants to get out the message about hand washing:

"The petting zoo part of a fair really can be a dangerous place because they're touching the animals," said Marc Monte, senior pastor at Faith Baptist Church in Avon, Indiana, and spokesman for Kalei's family. "The animals sometimes have this bacteria on them. If hands are not washed or if they depend on just the sanitizer, that can be not a good thing."

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Deschutes County, Oregon Health Department has issued a health advisory to Elk Lake Resort area visitors regarding E. coli-contaminated water at the resort.

"This case is similar to cases we recently settled involving water served at a restaurant," said E. coli attorney Fred Pritzker. "The well water that was servicing the restaurant became contaminated with E. coli, and dozens of people were sickened."

The Elk Lake Resort warning:

It has been reported in the past week that recent visitors to the area have become ill with symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea.

Elk Lake Resort has been cooperating closely with Deschutes County Health officials and has voluntarily closed the restaurant (cabins are still operating with a "boil water" alert) until the health investigation is complete. Although not confirmed to be the cause of illness, the drinking water at the resort has tested positive for E-coli bacteria.

Deschutes County Health Services Department officials continue to investigate the cause of illness and will not know any conclusive sources of the reported illnesses until next week, if a source is identified at all.

The warning cautioned visitors at Elk Lake Resort to drink only bottled water and avoid ice or drinking water from resort plumbing.

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Four people who visited the Animal Petting Farm at Forest Park in Everett, Washington have suspected cases of E. coli, according to the Snohomish Health District . One of them, a child, was hospitalized for 3 days.  

Animal manure can harbor E. coli O157 and other dangerous pathogens. If contaminated manure gets on animal fur, it is possible for E. coli bacteria to get on the hands of anyone who pets the animal. Also, the ground and surfaces such as fencing can be contaminated. E. coli is usually associated with cows, but other animals can carry E. coli bacteria. 

Below is a video of Dr. Gary Goldbaum of the Snohomish Health District discussing the E. coli outbreak associated with the Animal Petting Farm in Everett, WA. 

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Salmonella food poisoning is defying U.S. prevention efforts even while progress is being made to stop a more feared pathogen: E. coli O157:H7. Those are the headlines from an annual report on foodborne illness produced by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The report found broad declines in several foodborne infections, including E. coli O157:H7. But Salmonella infections, which cause the largest numbers of illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths of any pathogen under surveillance in the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet), have not declined during the past decade, the CDC said. FoodNet conducts surveillance among 15 percent of the U.S. population for laboratory-confirmed infections with nine pathogens transmitted commonly through food.  

By comparison, the rate of E. coli O157 cases reported by FoodNet sites was .9 cases per 100,000 people, down substantially from 1997 when FoodNet measured 2 cases per 100,000 people. The nearly 50 percent reduction in E. coli O157 incidence is considered significant when compared to the lack of change in Salmonella incidence. 

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The German E. coli outbreak  that has killed 16 people and caused nearly 400 cases of  HUS, or hemolytic uremic syndrome, involves a stain of the pathogen that has not been seen in the United States.

Robert Tauxe, a foodborne disease expert at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),  told The Associated Press that it is extraordinary to see so many cases of HUS from a foodborne illness outbreak. "There has not been such an outbreak before that we know of in the history of public health," Tauxe told the AP. Officials are frantically searching for a cause, but the number of new cases has dropped off.

The CDC's Tauxe said two people from the U.S. are among more than 1,150 people in total who have been  sickened in the outbreak, which was initially thought to be caused by contaminated cucumbers but now is undetermined. The two U.S. victims had recently traveled to Hamburg, where the outbreak started several weeks ago.

The outbreak also has infected people in other European countries, including Denmark, France, the Czech Republic, the U.K., the Netherlands and Switzerland.

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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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An E. coli outbreak in Bell County, Texas, has been reported by the local health department, but no announcement has been made as to what may be causing people to be sickened by the toxic bacteria. A story by News Channel 25 of Waco, Killeen and Temple said at least five cases of E. coli infection in Bell County have been reported.

The Bell County Health Department is asking anyone with bloody diarrhea to seek medical attention immediately. The outbreak is under investigation, and, at this point no one has died.

Toxic types of E. coli bacteria live in the intestines of animals, especially cows. Once shed via manure, they can contaminate various foods, including ground beef. E. Coli O157:H7 is banned from ground beef because it's so dangerous. Once ingested -- even in very small exposures -- a person can fall ill and possibly take a turn for the worse. An estimated 8 percent of E. coli victims develop a life-threatening complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome HUS.

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Researchers in Scotland found that 11 percent of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses reported from 1999-2008 were attributable to secondary, or person-to-person, spread, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.

The study covered 2,228 E. coli O157:H7 infections and found that secondary cases of infection are just as prone to result in life-threatening hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), as primary cases. Researchers reported that the mean (midpoint) percentage of HUS developing in case patients was 11 percent..

As previously reported many times in this blog by food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., transmission of E. coli O157:H7 to humans requires only a low infectious dose of bacteria. That's a major reason for why so many people are sickened by exposure to others who are infected.

The Scotland study said the results indicated that E. coli O157:H7 patients need immediate advice about infection control in the home, accompanied by immediate stool sampling and monitoring. And not just for primary or index cases, but also for their contacts. "We must continually raise professional and public awareness of secondary spread,'' the CDC summary of the research said.

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A Maryland bean sprout processor has been shut down under court order while the owner addresses insanitary conditions found by public health inspectors. The company is Vegi-Pak Farm LLC of Mount Airy. The situation came to a head last week when the U.S. Department of Justice filed a complaint in U.S. District Court seeking a permanent injunction against the facility until it could be brought into compliance with food safety laws.

Vegi-Pak General Manager Brian Lee told the Baltimore Sun newspaper that the company is complying with a consent decree that details a list of required actions, including cleaning the facility, storing seeds safely and treating them to reduce pathogens. There has not been a known outbreak of Salmonella or E. coli linked to the plant, but sprouts are susceptible to contamination even in plants that are in general compliance with food safety laws. That's because they are cultivated with heat and moisture, conditions that also favor clustering of E. coli, Salmonella and other harmful human pathogens.

 Since 1996, there have been 32 reported outbreaks of foodborne illness associated with different types of raw and lightly cooked sprouts. Most of these outbreaks were caused by Salmonella and E. coli infections.

The most recent multi-state outbreak started last November and sickened 140 individuals with Salmonella through February 9, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In that outbreak, the investigation indicated a link to eating Tiny Greens Alfalfa Sprouts or Spicy Sprouts at Jimmy John’s restaurant outlets. Half of the illnesses were in Illinois, where Jimmy John's and Tiny Greens are based.

Before the shut-down, Vegi-Pak had been processing and packaging tofu and soybean and mung bean sprouts distributed to Korean markets in Maryland, Virginia and Washington. According to the DOJ complaint, Food and Drug Administration inspectors found equipment coated in food waste and a fly infestation inside the facility in September. In addition, workers were not adequately washing and cleaning the soybeans, and reported they were instructed by the company president to fabricate disinfection records, according to the complaint. A state inspection also found problems.

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E. coli attorney Fred Pritzker is alerting the public to an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Oregon and Washington that may be associated with Sally Jackson cheese. The FDA was notified of this outbreak by State Department of Agriculture, the Washington Department of Health, and the Oregon Public Health Division.

E. coli Outbreak Prompts Recall of Sally Jackson Cheese

Sally Jackson Cheese of Oroville, Washington, recalled all cheese products, including cow, goat, and sheep, because they may be contaminated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 bacteria. E. coli O157:H7 causes a diarrheal illness, often with bloody stools. Although most healthy adults can recover completely within a week, some people can develop a form of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). HUS is most likely to occur in young children and the elderly, but our law firm has had HUS clients in their early twenties. The condition can lead to serious kidney damage, severe hypertension, stroke, seizures, heart failure, pancreatitis and death.

Sally Jackson brand cheeses made from raw cow, goat, and sheep milk were distributed nationwide to restaurants, distributors, and retail stores. The three types of cheese are all soft raw milk cheeses in various sized pieces. The products do not have labels or codes. The cow and sheep milk cheeses are wrapped in chestnut leaves, the goat cheese is wrapped in grape leaves and all are secured with twine. The cheeses may have an outer wrapping of waxed paper.

E. coli lawyers at  PritzkerOlsen, P.A., are monitoring this Sally Jackson cheese E. coli outbreak and have established a claims center for members of the public who have been harmed. For a free case consultation, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete our free consultation form. Our firm is one of the few in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation and we have recovered millions of dollars for victims of food poisoning.

We currently represent E. coli HUS victims and have years of experience representing victims of food poisoning against large national retailers and food manufacturers.

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Our firm, one of only a few in the world that specializes in foodborne illness cases, is representing many of the victims from the Costco - Bravo Farms Gouda cheese outbreak that was first announced in November.

The Gouda cheese produced by Bravo Farms and sold at Costco retail locations in five western states was apparently made from raw milk. Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized. Federal regulations require that such cheese be aged for sixty days or more.

Doug Powell, a respected food scientist and journalist, posted a reference to an article just published in the Journal of Food Protection that concludes, “In agreement with results of previous studies, our results suggest that the 60-day aging requirement alone is insufficient to completely eliminate levels of viable E. coli O157:H7 in Gouda or stirred-curd Cheddar cheese manufactured from raw milk contaminated with low levels of this pathogen.” The full abstract of the article is reprinted below.

Not long after Bravo Farms announced the E. coli O157:H7 recall, testing at the plant revealed the presence of another deadly pathogen, Listeria. On November 26, Bravo Farms recalled all of its cheeses.

Thus, it appears the problem is not limited to the dangers inherent in the 60 day curing rule – Bravo Farms appears to have a much more fundamental problem with sanitation. But all of this does point to yet another example of the dangers with raw milk. It also raises all sorts of alarms about Costco’s due diligence and its failure to assure the quality of the products it sells. The concern is all the greater since Costco offered free samples of Bravo Farms gouda cheese.  

Article Published in the Journal of Food Protection

Behavior of Escherichia coli O157:H7 during the Manufacture and Aging of Gouda and Stirred-Curd Cheddar Cheeses Manufactured from Raw Milk

Authors: D'Amico, Dennis J.¹; Druart, Marc J.²; Donnelly, Catherine W.²

Source: Journal of Food Protection®, Volume 73, Number 12, December 2010 , pp. 2217-2224(8)

Publisher: International Association for Food Protection

Abstract:

This study was conducted to examine the fate of Escherichia coli O157:H7 during the manufacture and aging of Gouda and stirred-curd Cheddar cheeses made from raw milk. Cheeses were manufactured from unpasteurized milk experimentally contaminated with one of three strains of E. coli O157:H7 at an approximate population level of 20 CFU/ml. Samples of milk, whey, curd, and cheese were collected for enumeration of bacteria throughout the manufacturing and aging process. Overall, bacterial counts in both cheese types increased almost 10-fold from initial inoculation levels in milk to approximately 145 CFU/g found in cheeses on day 1. From this point, counts dropped significantly over 60 days to mean levels of 25 and 5 CFU/g in Cheddar and Gouda, respectively. Levels of E. coli O157:H7 fell and stayed below 5 CFU/g after an average of 94 and 108 days in Gouda and Cheddar, respectively, yet remained detectable after selective enrichment for more than 270 days in both cheese types. Changes in pathogen levels observed throughout manufacture and aging did not significantly differ by cheese type. In agreement with results of previous studies, our results suggest that the 60-day aging requirement alone is insufficient to completely eliminate levels of viable E. coli O157:H7 in Gouda or stirred-curd Cheddar cheese manufactured from raw milk contaminated with low levels of this pathogen.

Publication date: 2010-12-01

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A Minnesota toddler has been hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) after consuming raw milk, according to the Star Tribune.

The Minnesota HUS case is part of an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections. Three of the four E. coli cases are linked to unpasteurized milk produced at the Hartmann Dairy Farm in Gibbon, Minnesota, also known as M.O.M.s, or Minnesota Organic Milk.

Hemolytic uremic syndrome is characterized by damage and destruction of the red blood cells, which leads to a lower than normal number of red blood cells (a condition called anemia), blood clots, and damage to blood vessel walls. Complications of HUS are severe and can include the following:

• Hemolytic anemia and associated blood complications
• Abnormal kidney function
• HUS Kidney failure (renal failure) that may require a kidney transplant (renal transplant) - illness accompanying kidney failure is called uremia (develops when urea and other waste products are retained in the blood)
• Gall stones - probably caused by rapid hemolysis, breaking open of red blood cells and the release of hemoglobin
• Elevated pancreatic enzyme levels that could lead to insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and or HUS pancreatitis
• Central Nervous System (CNS) disturbances such as irritablilty, behavior changes, disorientation, delerium, hallucinations, dizziness and tremors
• HUS Seizures
• HUS Coma
• HUS Stroke
• HUS Encephalopathy
• Respiratory disease syndrome
• Convulsions
• Heart problems, including heart attack (myocardial infarction), cardio myopathy, cardiogenic shock, congestive heart failure (HUS heart attack and heart failure)
• Cortical blindness, caused by damage to the visual area in the brain's occipital cortex
• HUS Thrombocytopenia (platelet deficiency in the blood)
• Death

Many people who suffer this devastating illness have life-long and very severe medical problems that show up long after the acute phase of the illness is over. This is one reason why it is important to contact an HUS lawyer to discuss your legal rights.

As in this case, many HUS victims are children. Their parents suffer along with them. The fear and uncertainty of loving a child with chronic medical problems is a constant stressor that intrudes on the parents and siblings of a child with HUS.

A recent medical journal article supports the notion that the impact of HUS is not limited to the disease survivor. The paper, Emotional and Behavioral Changes in Parents of Children Affected by Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome Associated With Verocytotoxin-Producing Escherichia Coli: A Qualitative Analysis, concludes:

This [data] demonstrated that intense emotional distress was commonplace at the 1-year follow-up, demonstrating that emotional strain is present long after the acute phase of the child’s illness. The finding that fear of unknown long-term repercussions, relapse, and reinfection were still causing distress and rumination 1 year later suggests that dealing with an infected child is chronic stressor…

On a personal note, my wife and I are the parents of 25 year-old young man with a genetic disorder characterized by physical and cognitive challenges. Loving a child with medical issues is one of the most challenging problems faced by parents. It affects virtually every family decision and not a day goes by without its consequences reverberating throughout the home.

Are parents compensated for this emotional stress? The answer is two-fold: it depends on the law of the state in which the illness occurred and, sadly, not enough.

Many states only allow recovery for the diseased individual. Some allow recovery, but only in cases in which the parent was in the “zone of danger” (meaning they were at risk for injury as well). Fewer still recognize the obvious harm and loss that parents suffer when their children face a life of medical problems related to E. coli O157:H7-induced Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome. It’s never right when common sense and the medical literature recognizes a problem for which the law offers little or no remedy.

For a free consultation with an attorney, please call 1-888-377-8900 (TOLL FREE) or submit our online free consultation form.

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State health officials have linked three cases of E. coli O157 poisoning with raw milk from Hartmann Dairy Farm in Gibbon, Minn. The Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture are continuing to investigate a cluster of four E. coli O157:H7 illnesses that all have the same “pulsed field gel electrophoresis” (PFGE) patterns, or DNA fingerprint. Three of the four cases report a link to milk from Hartmann Farm; the fourth case is under investigation. Three of the four people were hospitalized as a result of their illness; one case has developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

The Minnesota Department of Health urges anyone who may have recently purchased milk from the Hartmann Dairy Farm, also known as M.O.M.’s, to discard the product and not consume it. The milk may be labeled organic and consumers may be unaware that the milk has not been pasteurized. In addition, consumers should not eat cheese, ice cream or other dairy products from the farm, which also may have been made from raw, unpasteurized milk.

Symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 illness typically include stomach cramps and diarrhea, including bloody diarrhea.People typically become ill two to five days after eating contaminated food. E. coli O157:H7 disease sometimes leads to a serious complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can cause kidney failure and can occur a week or more after the onset of diarrhea. People who have developed symptoms after consuming unpasteurized milk should seek immediate medical attention. Those most at risk of developing complications from E. coli infection include the very young, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems.

Minnesota law prohibits most raw milk sales, except for occasional purchases directly at the farm where the milk is produced. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture investigates complaints and cases of food-borne illness associated with the sale of raw milk. Enforcement actions can be taken in cases when sales of raw milk are identified and people become ill from consuming the raw milk.

Officials from both agencies warn the public against drinking raw milk because it may contain harmful bacteria that can cause life-threatening illnesses. Raw milk is not treated or pasteurized to remove disease-causing bacteria.

Pasteurization is the only effective method for eliminating the bacteria in raw milk and milk products. Pasteurization uses heat applied for a length of time sufficient to destroy harmful bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7 without significantly changing milk's nutritional value. Despite claims to the contrary, the body of scientific evidence shows no meaningful difference in the nutritional value of pasteurized and unpasteurized milk. Pasteurization prevents a variety of infections that can be spread by consumption of milk. All milk shipped between states is required, by law, to be pasteurized.

Between 1973 and 1992, 46 outbreaks associated with raw milk consumption were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An additional 45 outbreaks were reported to CDC between 1998 and May 2005, accounting for 1,007 illnesses, 104 hospitalizations, and two deaths.

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An 18-year-old woman with E. coli HUS (hemolytic uremic syndrome) has retained Attorney Fred Pritzker to represent her as she seeks compensation from Freshway Foods of Sidney, Oklahoma. Our client, a student at Daemen College in Amherst, New York, is one of 23 people who have confirmed cases of E. coli O145 linked to Freshway Foods romaine lettuce.

Two students in Wappinger Falls, New York (a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old) have also contracted E. coli HUS in the Freshway Foods lettuce food poisoning outbreak.  The students ate romaine lettuce that had been supplied to the school district by Freshway Foods.

HUS is a life-threatening complication of an E. coli O145 infection that can cause kidney failure, stroke, heart attack, seizures, coma, pancreatitis and other serious health problems.  For a free consultation with attorney Fred Pritzker, please call 1-888-377-8900 (TOLL FREE) or submit our free consultation form.

The latest information from the CDC is as follows:

The number of ill persons identified in each state with this strain is: MI (10 confirmed and 3 probable), NY (4 confirmed and 3 probable), OH (8 confirmed and 1 probable), and TN (1 confirmed).

Among the confirmed and probable cases with reported dates available, illnesses began between April 10, 2010 and April 26, 2010. Infected individuals range in age from 13 years old to 31 years old and the median age is 19 years. Sixty-six percent of patients are male.

Among the 30 patients with available information, 12 (40%) were hospitalized. Three patients have developed a type of kidney failure known as hemolytic-uremic syndrome, or HUS. No deaths have been reported.

Multiple lines of evidence have implicated shredded romaine lettuce from one processing facility as a source of infection in this outbreak. This evidence includes the identification of the outbreak strain of E. coli O145 from an unopened package of shredded romaine lettuce obtained at an institution that received product from the processing facility linked to the outbreak. A case-control study in Michigan found a significant association between illness and consumption of romaine lettuce processed at the same facility that processed lettuce consumed by ill persons in New York, Ohio and Tennessee.

The lettuce processing company (Freshway Foods) has issued a recall of lettuce produced at their facility as a result of the evidence obtained to date.  An additional recall was issued by a separate company that received lettuce from the same farm as the processing company linked to the outbreak.

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Our law firm recently filed a lawsuit on behalf of a husband and wife who contracted E. coli O157:H7 infections after eating beef at a barbecue restaurant. We sued the beef processor, a distributor of the meat and the barbecue restaurant that served the couple the meal that made them sick.

The husband was hospitalized with severe bloody diarrhea and cramps. The wife also suffered bloody diarrhea and cramps, but she developed TTP-HUS, a complication of an E. coli O157:H7 infection that can cause kidney failure, brain injuries, heart damage, other serious injuries and death.  She spent two months in the hospital and almost died several times.

An E. coli outbreak in Honolulu, Hawaii that sickened at least seven people in March also involves a barbecue restaurant, Peppa’s Korean BBQ. The Peppa’s E. coli may be the result of food handling violations that closed the restaurant down yesterday. According to the Honolulu Advisor:

After it was confirmed that some of those sickened by E. coli 0157:H7 had eaten at Peppa's, state Sanitation Branch inspectors were dispatched to the restaurant, where they observed food-handling violations….

Those violations, coupled with confirmation of the Peppa's connection, caused inspectors to issue a "notice of permit suspension" and a cease-and-desist order against the restaurant at about 10 a.m. yesterday….

To contact a lawyer at Pritzker Olsen about the Peppa’s E. coli outbreak, please call 1-888-377-8900 (TOLL FREE), email Attorney Fred Pritzker or submit our online form for a free consultation.

Keywords: Peppa’s E. coli, lawsuit, Honolulu E. coli, lawyer, attorney, Peppa’s Korean Barbecue, hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), thrombotic thrombocytopenic pupura (TTP), child E. coli.

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Health officials in Hawaii are investigating an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections and have temporarily closed a barbecue restaurant in Honolulu that they have associated with at least some of the illnesses.

Peppa's Korean BBQ restaurant was ordered closed Thursday by Hawaii's Department of Health, according to a news report by KITV.com. The health agency is aware of seven E. coli patients, some of whom ate food from the restaurant before becoming ill, the report said.

KITV reported that four of the seven victims were hospitalized and that one remained hospitalized Thursday. Six of the patients were from Oahu.

The story didn't say what caused the outbreak, only that "a health inspection team found evidence of exposure to the bacteria'' at the restaurant. 

"Health officials have ordered the restaurant's owners to correct the problems with thorough cleaning and training before it allows the business to reopen,'' KITV.com reported.

The health department has reminded doctors to report any E. coli  infections to the agency. If you or a loved one believe you may be part of this outbreak, immediately see a doctor. For answers to legal questions, call law firm Pritzker Olsen at 1-888-377-8900 (TOLL FREE) or complete a contact form on the side of this Web page.

Pritzker Olsen is a leading practitioner of foodborne illness litigation that has collected millions of dollars for victims of food poisoning. We also are actively involved in efforts to prevent outbreaks and strengthen U.S. food safety laws.

E. coli O157:H7 infection is a serious threat to anyone's health, but children, pregnant women, the elderly and others with weakened immune systems are most at risk. In five to 15 percent of cases, patients develop E. coli HUS, or hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can be life threatening.

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At least one child HUS case and possibly a second is under investigation as part of the Villiage of Belgium E. coli outbreak in southeastern Wisconsin.

Fox 6 News of Milwaukee broke the story that several Wisconsin children who live on Grand Avenue in Belgium have been stricken recently by E. coli O157:H7 infections. The station says one 4-year-old spent six weeks at Childrens' Hospital with E coli HUS, or hemolytic uremic syndrome. The child underwent dialysis and blood transfusions and was in the intensive care unit. Now a second child has been hospitalized.

Ozaukee County Health Department officials, along with state health investigators, are looking for a cause. The Village of Belgium WI president says E. coli water tests taken on the town's water supply have come back negative.

If you have information on this outbreak or wish to speak to an E. coli lawyer who has experience in outbreak investigations, contact an E. coli HUS lawyer at Pritzker Olsen by dialing 1-888-377-8900 (toll free.) Our law firm is a recognized leader in the area of foodborne illness and we are actively involved in efforts to prevent food poisoning of all types by making the U.S. food supply safer.

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Massachusetts health officials have associated a case of human E. coli O157:H7 infection with contaminated ground beef products recalled by Adams Farm Slaughterhouse LLC of Athol, Massachusetts.

This is the third ground beef E. coli recall to directly affect Massachusetts since late October.

The latest Class I High Health Risk recall issued late Monday by the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service says the 2,574 pounds of potentially tainted "beef cuts and ground" under recall were distributed to private owners on three separate Massachusetts farms: Mazzarese, Side Hill Farm and Sweet Water Farm.

This Mass. farm E. coli beef recall was initiated after the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) confirmed a positive ground beef sample for E. coli O157:H7 as part of an epidemiological investigation. The probe is continuing.

State and federal health officials urge anyone who has signs of food poisoning to immediately contact a physician. For answers to legal questions about this outbreak or others and to obtain a free case consultation, contact an E. coli lawyer at national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen. Call toll free at 1-888-377-8900 or complete our contact and information form.

According to the official recall notice, the recalled packages all are marked with packaging dates of 11/11/2009 and the USDA establishment number EST 5497. 

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 A multi-state restaurant steak E. coli outbreak has been associated with steaks distributed in restaurants nationwide made by National Steak and Poultry of Owasso, Oklahoma.

The company on Thursday recalled 248,000 pounds of steak products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, a virulent pathogen that can lead to life-threatening hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) ,

The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced in a news release that it has been investigating the problem with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with state health officials, and has determined there is an association between blade-tenderized, non-intact steaks and a cluster of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, South Dakota and Washington.

FSIS said National Steak and Poultry packaged the recalled steaks on October 12, 13, 14 and 21 and shipped them to restaurants nationwide. The news release did not identify the restaurants, nor did it say how many people have been infected with the outbreak strain of HUS E. coli from steak.

Anyone with signs of illness should immediately see a physician. For answers to legal questions, call national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen at 1-888-377-8900 or by completing our online contact and information form on the side of this web page. We have been investigating this outbreak for more than a week and already have been contacted by at least one potential victim.

Our law firm is involved in practically all major outbreaks of foodborne illness and we have recovered tens of millions of dollars for clients, including patients who have contracted E. coli O157:H7 from eating mechanically tenderized steak served by national restaurant chains.

In these cases, victims have special rights under the law because it is illegal to sell non-intact cuts of beef -- those that have been pierced with blade tenderizers or injected with flavoring such as brine -- if the meat is contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. Studies have shown the processes can drive surface E. coli that is normally killed in the grilling process into the center of the cut, where it can survive if the steak is served rare or medium rare (under 140 degrees Fahrenheit).

For a complete view of the National Steak and Poultry recall list, click here.

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Pritzker Olsen, P.A. has been retained to represent the family of a five-year old boy from Auburn, Maine who contracted hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) as a result of eating ground beef tainted with E. coli O157:H7. The boy’s illness, for which he was hospitalized for three weeks, has been affirmatively linked to the Fairbank Farms outbreak, which resulted in the recall of approximately 545,699 pounds of ground beef products because of potential E. coli O157:H7 contamination.

According to a November 13, 2009 story in The New York Times, Fairbank Farms succumbed to pressure from its beef suppliers and inexplicably stopped testing all of its ground beef ingredients. According to the company, those procedures are now being re-evaluated. Unfortunately, that move comes too late for our client, as well as for the two people who have died and the people who have been sickened in the outbreak.

As national food safety attorney Fred Pritzker notes, “the needless suffering of the people sickened in this outbreak only serves to underscore the need for more stringent testing in the meat industry.” Pritzker supports the legislation currently under consideration to require regular testing in meat plants.

To contact Pritzker Olsen law firm, please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free), email Attorney Fred Pritzker or submit our online form for a free consultation.

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The director of public health in Los Angeles County is warning consumers in Southern California not to eat Latin-American style cheeses from street vendors or unlicensed manufacturers.

Bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Listeria, bovine Tuberculosis or Brucella may contaminate the products, which often are made from unpasteurized dairy products, may have been made under insanitary conditions or haven't  been properly refrigerated.

Public Health Director Jonathan Fielding said the situation is a recipe for disaster and his agency is working with local prosecutors, the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to crack down on vendors.

The caution alert applies to the following cheeses: Queso, Fresco, Panela, Queso Seco, Asadero, Queso Oaxacca, Queso Cotija, and Crema.

"Harmful bacteria in these products can be dangerous to your health and safety,'' Fielding said in a department press release.

If you get sick eating unpasteurized, contaminated dairy products, see a physician immediately.

National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen attorneys has seen similar warnings and outbreaks related to soft cheeses sold by parking lot vendors and street vendors throughout the country. The advice being given in Los Angeles is sound advice everywhere.

To contact a food safety lawyer at our firm, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free). Or, to receive a free case consultation, complete our online form.

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Emerging Infections Program collects data annually from 10 states on diseases caused by pathogens in food. The preliminary report covering 2008 showed no improvement on curbing foodborne illness, but national food safety lawyer Fred Pritzker says a closer look at the data shows the problem runs deeper. Mr. Pritzker is founder and president of national food poisoning law firm Pritzker Olsen Attorneys. He is involved in practically every major outbreak of foodborne illnesses and his firm has collected tens of millions of dollars for victims of food poisoning and their families. For more information about the firm, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or write to us online for a free case consultation.

By FRED PRITZKER

The Federal government’s Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) recently released preliminary data about the frequency of certain foodborne illnesses in 10 monitoring states for the year 2008. This is the equivalent of the government’s report card for food safety. The scores, as they say, leave much room for improvement.

The “take away” point from this data is that “progress toward the national health objectives [for foodborne pathogens] has plateaued, suggesting that fundamental problems with bacterial and parasitic contamination are not being resolved.”

My comment [and their goal] is simply: “No Shit.”

Stripped of its “journal speak,” the data shows that after making progress for a few years, efforts to safeguard our food have gone nowhere.

"The lack of recent progress toward the national health objective targets and the occurrence of large multistate outbreaks points to gaps in the current food safety system and the need to continue to develop and evaluate food safety practices as food moves from the farm to the table."

A closer reading of the data actually points to more serious problems. For example, in just one year (from 2007 to 2008), test samples of ground beef yielding E. coli O157:H7 nearly doubled from 0.24% to 0.47%. This is really quite shocking.

It was also interesting to note that only 25.7% of E. coli O157:H7 infections and 7.4% of Salmonella cases are associated with outbreaks. In other words, in the vast majority of human illness associated with these two pathogens, the source is never identified.

In a way, this is even more shocking. It shows we’re still very inadequate when it comes to testing for and analyzing foodborne pathogens – in other words, what we don’t know will hurt us.  

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Fred Pritzker, founder and president of national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen Attorneys, has no mercy for food manufacturers and restaurants that distribute and serve food contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 or other lethal pathogens. His strident opinions are borne out of the experience of seeing too many people die or become permanently disabled from food poisoning. The latest victim is 7-year-old Abigail "Abby" Fenstermaker of Cleveland, Ohio. Friends of Brian and Nicole Fenstermaker, the parents, have organized a community fundraiser for the evening of Friday, May 29, at The Clevelander bar and restaurant near Jacobs Field. For more information, click here. To reach Mr. Pritzker, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or email him at fhp@pritzkerlaw.com

By FRED PRITZKER

On May 21, 2009, Valley Meats LLC, of Coal Valley, IllInois, recalled 95,898 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. This action followed an investigation by Cleveland, Ohio, health officials who identified two eateries that possibly served burgers tainted with E. coli O157:H7.

Three Cleveland area residents who became ill in April apparently had eaten at  two establishments, the VFW Hall in North Olmstead and Deekers Side Tracks in Mentor, Ohio. A 7- year-old Cleveland girl died from E. coli O157:H7-related complications (Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome – HUS).

This devastating loss was utterly preventable and points to a food safety system breakdown on many levels.

Federal, state and local law prohibits the sale of adulterated food. If Valley Meats LLC distributed and sold meat products contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 it means the company violated laws that have been on the books for more than a hundred years and failed to properly test and detect lethal pathogens before the products left its facility.

It also means the restaurants that served this poisoned food similarly violated the law. Whether the meat was adulterated when it entered the restaurant, there is no question and no doubt that with proper cooking and handling, any pathogen in the food could and should have been killed off before it caused harm.

Coincidental to this tragedy and illustrative of it, preliminary data published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) indicates that the estimated incidence of E. coli O157:H7 infections did not change significantly when compared with the preceding 3 years. In fact, the percentage of ground beef samples yielding E. coli O157:H7 actually doubled in 2008 compared to 2007. What’s more, none of the target goals established by the federal government in its food safety initiative, Healthy People 2010, were met.

I am one of the few and most experienced food safety lawyers in the United States. I have represented foodborne illness survivors in virtually every major foodborne illness outbreak during the last several years.

In virtually every one of those cases, people were sickened or killed not because laws were lacking or technology was insufficient, but rather because of three primal deficiencies:  ignorance, sloth and greed.  As the Cleveland case illustrates, the companies responsible for this outbreak were either too stupid, too lazy or too greedy or a combination of all three, to prevent the lifelong losses that occurred.

Right now, my law firm represents wrongful death victims of the Peanut Corporation of America Salmonella outbreak that occurred when company officials knowingly shipped Salmonella-laced peanut products.

Within the last week we learned that another nut processor, Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc., in California knowingly shipped Salmonella-positive nuts for six months.
These outbreaks and the Cleveland case indicate a shocking lack of responsibility and accountability.

It is only fitting that such wrongdoers be held accountable for the harms and losses they caused. But in these cases that means more than just a collection of insurance proceeds. It means actual accountability – the kind that comes from criminal prosecution and payment of punitive damages that actually punish wrongdoers and serves as a deterrent to prevent future outbreaks.

Without such deterrence, we can expect more of the same. 

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 The USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) has determined that the production practices employed by Nebraska Beef, Ltd., on June 24 were insufficient to effectively control E. coli O157:H7. According to FSIS, the products subject to the expansion may have been produced under insanitary conditions. Nebraska Beef, Ltd. has expanded its August 8 recall of beef products to 1.36 million pounds due to possible contamination with E. coli O157:H7. According to the USDA-FSIS announcement:

The total amount of product subject to recall is approximately 1.36 million pounds. The expansion of approximately 160,000 pounds and the clarifying information include:

• Primal cuts, subprimal cuts and boxed beef produced on June 24, whose shipping containers and labels bear the establishment number "EST. 19336" inside the USDA mark of inspection and the company name "Nebraska Beef Ltd" The products may or may not bear a green sticker.
• Primal cuts, subprimal cuts and boxed beef produced on July 8, whose shipping containers and labels bear the establishment number "EST. 19336" inside the USDA mark of inspection, the company name "Nebraska Beef Ltd." as well as a 2-inch plain, circular green sticker on one side of the shipping box.

This recall is an expansion of the recall that was prompted by an E. coli outbreak linked to Nebraska Beef and Coleman Natural Foods that has 31 confirmed cases on 12 states and Canada.  We have filed a lawsuit against Nebraska Beef and are representing several families. For a free E. coli case review, please contact attorney Fred Pritzker, managing partner for our E. coli litigation practice: 1-888-377-8900 (toll-free) or fhp@pritzkerlaw.com

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