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

An egg Salmonella threat has been documented in an expose' on abuse and conditions inside a factory farm owned by a leading egg producer, the Humane Society of the United States said in a press release.

Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the organization, called on the egg industry to embrace cage-free housing systems. Taking proper care of laying hens is an important way to safeguard our food supply. His comments stem from an undercover video project that captured animal abuses and filth in a caged hen facility. The documentary comes on the heels of a major Salmonella egg outbreak and recall involving two Iowa egg producers that were later found to be in violation of food safety rules.

Hillandale Farms of Iowa and Wright County Egg, also of Iowa, recalled 550 million eggs after investigators associated a major Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak with shell eggs from the two companies. Around the country more than 1,800 people were sickened in the outbreak, prompting more than one Salmonella egg lawsuit. Law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., is continuing to accept additional cases from individuals affected by the outbreak and free consultations are available at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or by completing the contact form on the side of this Web page.

According to the Humane Society press release,  a Humane Society investigator worked inside a factory egg farm in Texas recently for 28 days and documented multiple abuses and food safety threats, including:

• Birds trapped in cage wires, unable to reach food or water. Cage wires can trap hens' wings, necks, legs and feet, causing other birds to trample the weakened animals, usually resulting in a slow, painful death.
• Abandoned hens. Live birds were roaming outside their cages, some falling into manure pits.
• Injuries. Birds had bloody feet and broken legs from cage wires.
• Overcrowding injuries.  multiple birds crammed into one cage, giving each hen only 67 square inches of cage space—less than a sheet of paper on which to live for more than a year.
• Eggs covered in blood and feces. 

Every one of the last ten published studies comparing cage to cage-free systems found higher Salmonella rates in cage systems, including a 2010 study that found 20 times greater odds of Salmonella infection in caged flocks, the Humane Society said. Click here to see the Humane Society video.

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Numerous food safety violations at massive egg plants operated by Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms were uncovered by Food and Drug Administration officials who inspected the Iowa mega farms for most of August.

The inspections were ordered after public health investigators tracked a multi-state Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak to shell eggs produced by the two operators. More than 1,400 illnesses have resulted, triggering an egg lawsuit by food safety lawyers at  PritzkerOlsen, P.A., 1-888-377-8900 (TOLL FREE).

The FDA inspection reports showed similar violations at the two companies -- including chicken manure piles so high they were blocking some doors and pushing others open. Hens that had escaped their cages were using eight-foot-high manure piles to access the egg laying area at Wright County Egg, the reports said.

Many notations in the inspection reports referred to unsatisfactory rodent control -- from burrow holes in the walls to scurrying live mice in the barns. Wild birds were flying around inside the facilities and pigeons were roosting in openings in kernell corn grain bins.

Inspectors found maggots and flies too numerous to count, eight frogs under a board, grass between barns that was a foot high and disregard for practices meant to keep workers from tracking Salmonella Enteritidis from one place to another. 

Kenneth E. Anderson, a professor of poultry science at North Carolina State University, told the New York Times: “I am surprised that an operation was being operated in that manner in this day and age.”

“Clearly the observations here reflect significant deviations from what’s expected,” FDA Deputy Commissioner Michael R. Taylor said in the same story.

As previously reported, six environmental samples came back positive for Salmonella Enteritidis -- including a sample from Wright County Egg's pullet feed and Wright County Egg's meat and bone meal ingredient bin.

Dr Jeff Farrar, associate commissioner of food protection in the FDA's Office of Foods, told reporters that the FDA received one more positive Salmonella Enteritidis lab result that matches the outbreak strain from spent egg wash water from a facility at Hillandale Farms.

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Egg recall information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is now searchable by brand name and other data, making a powerful consumer guide to 88 different egg brands involved in the recalls by Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms, both of Iowa.

Click here for the searchable egg recall list  that covers more than half a billion eggs.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 1,470 reported illnesses were likely to be associated with this outbreak between May 1 to August 25. More are expected as investigation and testing continues in more than 20 states.

Smoking gun evidence was uncovered by FDA, linking the outbreak strain of Salmonella Enteritidis to the Iowa egg producers. Of 600 samples taken, six so far have come back with the same identical Salmonella strain that is making people sick.. One of those samples came from the feed mill at Wright County Egg and the feed was provided to young hens. The hens were distributed to all premises at both companies.

"These findings indicate that Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms of Iowa are the likely sources of the contaminated shell eggs,'' CDC has stated.

Law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A. is preparing an egg lawsuit on behalf of a woman who is confirmed by health authorities as a victim of this outbreak. Salmonella egg recall lawyers at the firm are in contact with other victims and the firm is continuing to accept cases. Free consultations are available at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or by completing the contact form on the side of this Web page. 

Many of the cases in this outbreak have been in people who attended catered social events or who ate at restaurants where clusters of illnesses were found.  A person infected with the Salmonella Enteritidis bacterium usually has fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea beginning 12 to 72 hours after consuming a contaminated food or beverage. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without antibiotic treatment. However, the diarrhea can be severe, and the person may be ill enough to require hospitalization. 

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Egg recall that began with Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa, has now expanded from some 320 million eggs to more than half a billion, according to The Associated Press.

The latest recall was announced by Cal-Maine Foods Inc., the nation's largest egg seller and distributor, with headquarters in Jackson, Mississippi. Iowa is in the company's production network.

Cal-Maine announced it is recalling about 800,000 dozen eggs related to the Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak that federal officials say has sickened thousands of Americans. Many of the confirmed cases stemmed from restaurant outbreaks or clusters of illnesses resulting from food-catered social events.

The Cal-Maine egg recall applies to 32 truckloads of eggs it received from Iowa between April 9 and Aug. 19, the producer has said. The original producer wasn't named.

Besides Wright County Egg recalling 320 million eggs, Iowa's Hillandale Farms said Friday that it was recalling  more than 100 million eggs after laboratory tests confirmed Salmonella contamination. 

FDA spokeswoman Pat El-Hinnawy told the AP the Hillandale Farms and Wright County Egg recalls are related. The strain of Salmonella bacteria causing the poisoning is the same in both cases, Salmonella enteritidis.

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With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) associating a national outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis with eggs from Iowa, there is a solid framework for an egg Salmonella lawsuit.

The CDC's latest announcement on the Wright County Egg Salmonella outbreak said California, Colorado and Minnesota all have data suggesting the association. State and federal investigators have traced clusters of Salmonella infections from restaurants or events to the mass egg producer based in Galt, Iowa.

The company issued a recall three days ago and federal health officials announced Wednesday they have expanded the recall of eggs linked to the Salmonella outbreak to 380 million eggs, or 32 million dozen-egg cartons.

Law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A. is continuing to accept cases for an egg Salmonella lawsuit and is conducting its own investigation into conditions that may have led to the hundreds of illnesses of Salmonella Enteritidis associated with contaminated eggs.

To contact aSalmonella lawyer at the firm, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete the contact form on the side of this Web page.

Our firm is a leading national practitioner of foodborne illness litigation with a record of winning food poisoning lawsuits. We have collected millions for victims and are involved in practically every major outbreak of foodborne illness.

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Salsa, guacamole and uncooked tamales made by La Reyna Supermarket and Taqueria of Iowa City may be the source of a Salmonella outbreak traced to farmers' markets in eastern Iowa.

Recent research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that between1998 and 2008, nearly 1 of every 25 outbreaks associated with restaurants or delis may have been caused by contaminated salsa or guacamole.

The most common infection was norovirus, followed by Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli, and other less common germs. And in 30 percent of the outbreaks, local investigators reported that the salsa or guacamole wasn’t stored or refrigerated properly.

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La Reyna guacamole, salsa and tamales may be the cause of an Iowa Salmonella outbreak that has sickened customers of several farmers markets in the eastern part of the state.

The Johnson and Linn county health departments have warned Iowans not to eat salsa, gaucamole or uncooked tamales made by La Reyna Supermarket & Taqueria of Iowa City prior to July 19.

The products of concern were sold at the following locations:

Iowa City Hy-Vee, 1720 Waterfront Drive; Iowa City Farmers Market; Iowa City Jazz Festival; New Pioneer Coop, 22 South Van Buren St., Iowa City and 1101 2nd St., Coralville; Johnson County Farmers Markets at Sycamore Mall, Coralville and Iowa City; Linn County Farmers Markets at Noelridge; Downtown Cedar Rapids and Marion; and the Dubuque Farmer’s Market. 

An ongoing investigation by Johnson and Linn County Public Health officials indicates the guacamole, salsa and uncooked tamales made by La Reyna and sold at eastern Iowa farmer’s markets, festivals, and other distribution sites, may be the source of the illness, said a joint news release from the two counties. 

Up to 25 people in several counties may have been ill in connection with the investigation. So far, eight cases are lab-confirmed.

If you or a loved one are suffering gastrointestinal illness after recently eating LaReyna guacamole, salsa or tamales, see a physician immediately for care and request that a stool culture be taken to test for the outbreak strain of Salmonella .

Law firm Pritzker Olsen is investigating the La Reyna Salmonella outbreak in Iowa and is accepting cases from individuals who were sickened. To receive a free consultation, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete the contact form on the side of this Web page.

Our firm is a national leader in foodborne illness litigation and is involved in practically every major outbreak in the United States. As an advocate for victims of food poisoning, we have collected millions for our clients.

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An outbreak of food poisoning that may be related to a freshly prepared fruit and vegetable product  is under investigation at a farmers' market in east-central Iowa.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) is handling the probe but not telling the public the location of the farmers' market. In a press release, the agency said it is currently investigating more than 10 illnesses that may be related to a freshly prepared fruit and vegetable product.

The health agency did not specify the product.

The notice came with a warning: "It's important to remember that any freshly prepared fruit and vegetable product that is not properly refrigerated can be a potential health risk because they can allow bacteria to grow.''

Iowans should be especially aware of food safety at farmers markets, the agency said. Namely, be aware that any freshly prepared product, such as hummus, salsa, cut fruit salad, and guacamole can be a potential health risk if not handled correctly.

IDPH offered these tips to consumers at farmers' markets:

• Only buy products from vendors who keep freshly prepared fruit and vegetable products cold, either in refrigerator units or on ice.
• Once purchased, keep freshly prepared fruit and vegetable products cold. If you plan to spend a lot of time at the market, bring a cooler or ice pack for storage.
• When you arrive home, place these products immediately in the refrigerator and eat within days.
• Any freshly prepared fruit or vegetable product that is not properly refrigerated should not be eaten, and should be discarded.

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