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

Leafy greens, such as the Romaine lettuce likely responsible for a 10-state E. coli outbreak that sickened 60 people over the last two months, are the most common source of foodborne illnesses.

 Between 1990 and 2006, lettuce and leafy greens have been linked to 363 food poisoning outbreaks, more than any other non-meat food according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a nutrition watchdog group.

The 10-state outbreak was initially thought to have stricken 37 salad bar customers at Schnucks grocery stores in the St. Louis area. However, further testing linked the E. coli 0157:H7 strain to a single lot of Romaine lettuce grown on a California farm and 60 illnesses in 10 states.

Other recent outbreaks linked to romaine lettuce include a 2010  E. coli O145 outbreak involving fresh romaine lettuce from Freshway Foods, Sidney, Ohio that sickened 26 people from five states. That outbreak was the first time that strain was identified as the source of a foodborne illness outbreak in the U.S. And, in 2008, Washington State Health Department linked commercial, bagged romaine lettuce as the source of an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Pierce and Thurston counties. 

Romaine isn't the only leafy green that has been linked to foodborne illness outbreaks. Iceberg, mesculan and spinach have all caused outbreaks. Most notably, the 2006 Dole brand bagged baby spinach outbreak which was one of the largest E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks ever linked to leafy green vegetables in the United States. More than 200 people in 26 states were sickened and three died before the spread of infectious disease ended. 

PritzkerOlsen is a national leader in food safety law. Contact our foodborne illness attorneys for a free consultation if you have legal questions about and illness or hospitalization associated with the recent outbreak.

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Fresh Express of Salinas, California, has recalled certain bagged lettuce products containing romaine in response to a sample test that found Salmonella in a package of Fresh Express Hearts of Romaine Salad.

 

The lettuce in question had a use-by date of May 15 and was tested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

 

No illnesses have been reported in connection with the current Fresh Express Salmonella recall.

 

The Fresh Express recall covers romaine-based salads with the expired use-by dates of May 13-May 16 and an "S'' in the product code.

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 A Salmonella outbreak that may have been caused by shredded lettuce sickened at least 124 people nationwide, but the outbreak has subsided and investigators may never pinpoint the cause.

That is the report out of Oregon today in a story produced by reporter Lynne Terry of The Oregonian.

There was a clustering of these Salmonella Typhimurium illnesses in the West, including two people who were hospitalized in Oregon, one with severe damage. William Keene is senior epidemiologist at Public Health Division in Oregon. He told the newspaper that shredded lettuce is a leading suspect and many of the victims who were interviewed had eaten at fast food restaurants.

But Keene said the outbreak is not tied with any recall and authorities are not warning people away from lettuce or fast food restaurants.  If lettuce was the culprit, it's all eaten by now, the story said.

According to The Oregonian, the first cases began to appear in mid-July. By the end of August the outbreak had reached its peak and tapered off.

In recent times, major outbreaks of Salmonella or E. coli O157:H7 have been tied to leafy green vegetables such as lettuce or spinach almost every year. In the past, investigators have linked outbreaks to specific producers. Dole, for instance, caused a bagged lettuce E. coli outbreak in 2005 and a baby spinach E. coli outbreak in 2006.

National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen attorneys is currently representing Salmonella Typhimurium victims, including the families of three women who died of the disease late last year and early this year after eating contaminated peanut butter.

Our law firm has collected tens of millions of dollars for victims of food poisoning and is dedicated to preventing foodborne illness. Between Salmonella and E. coli, more than 100,000 people a year become infected in the United States, thousands of whom are hospitalized.

If you or a loved one was diagnosed with the outbreak strain of Salmonella in this latest outbreak, contact a Salmonella attorney at Pritzker Olsen at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free). To receive a free case consultation online, go to our contact form and submit your information via the Internet.

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Pritzker Olsen, P.A., one of the nation’s leading food poisoning and food safety law firms, is investigating a possible E. coli O157:H7 outbreak involving lettuce. If you or a loved one has been affected by this outbreak, please contact us immediately.

Pritzker Olsen has been involved in virtually every major E. coli outbreak, including many involving lettuce and other leafy green vegetables. The firm has collected tens of millions of dollars on behalf of E. coli and HUS victims.

Headquartered in the Midwest, the firm represents victims throughout the United States and is actively  involved in several recent E. coli outbreaks including the Nebraska Beef/Barbeque Pit cases in Michigan, Ohio and Georgia and the Michigan iceberg lettuce cases associated with Aunt Mid’s Produce Company.

Firm lawyers are ready to assist you. There is no charge for consulting with our firm. If we agree to represent you, we are paid a percentage of the money we collect for you. if there is no recovery, you owe us nothing. Please contact us toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or via email at fhp@pritzkerlaw.com.  Visit us on the Web at www.pritzkerlaw.com.

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Lettuce E. coli outbreaks have been a documented health hazard for more than 15 years and the leafy green vegetable industry has provided at least lip service for the need to diminish the threat of human disease coming from its crops.

The latest pronouncement is a "Partners in Research'' grant program awarding a total of $500,000 to seven scientific projects with the stated goal of lowering the risk and producing a safer product throughout the food chain. Five of the seven winning grants specifically target E coli O157:H7.

It is being called the first collaboration between the Center for Produce Safety and the California Leafy Grean Research Program.

Improving food safety for leafy greens to reduce the number of people who are killed or injured by E. coli O157:H7 and other serotypes of the organism is an important subject at national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen Attorneys. Founder and president Fred Pritzker has been a critic of the industry's attempt at self-policing. What's needed are stronger laws and regulations that would carry heavy economic sanctions for violations.

If you or someone you know has recently been diagnosed with an E. coli infection -- possibly from eating bagged lettuce, head lettuce, spinach or other leafy greens -- contact Pritzker Olsen as soon as possible. The toll-free number is 1-888-377-8900.

 E. coli 0157:H7 is a serious health threat, especially to young children, the elderly and other with weakened immune systems. Infections in these populations can lead to hospitalization and renal failure. And some patients develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), the leading cause of E. coli deaths.

Other health risks of E. coli O157:H7 poisoning include abnormal kidney function, blindness, Hemorrhagic Colitis, high blood pressure, paralysis, seizures and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, a disease in adults that carries the risk of stroke, seizures and central nervous system deterioration.

Pritzker Olsen has years of experience representing E. coli victims and their families. The firm has recovered millions of dollars for its food poisoning clients and is dedicated to educating the public about food safety issues, while lobbying for more effective legislation to protect the U.S. food supply from deadly pathogens. It is one of the few law firms in the country that practices extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation.

For a free case consultation, contact us online.

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