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

Listeria, the pathogen responsible for the 2011 cantaloupe outbreak- the deadliest foodborne illness outbreak in U.S. history, is dominating food safety headlines in 2012 as the source of food recalls for ten brands of cheese and 20 varieties of vegetable sprouts. (UPDATED 1/612)

Listeria, which occurs everywhere in nature, can cause a serious, sometimes fatal infection called listeriosis. Onset of symptoms, which generally include fever, chills, muscle aches, diarrhea and upset stomach, can begin up to two months after ingestion of tainted food. In severe cases, symptoms will also include headaches, stiff neck, convulsions or death, according to the according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Pregnant women, young children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems are most at risk. Among pregnant women, Listeria can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth or birth defects in newborns.

At least three illnesses have been reported in connection with these recalls. Anyone experiencing symptoms, should contact a healthcare provider.

Currently the nine brands of cheese with products under recall are: BMF, Brennan’s Cellars, El Viajero, Edelweiss, Green Cedar Dairy, HEB, Fromagerie Marie Kade, Miller’s Cheese Corp., Nordic Creamery and World Cheese Corp.

All but two of those brands, Green Cedar Dairy and Marie Kade, are associated with Alpine Slicing and Cheese Conversion of Monroe, Wisconsin, which issued the recall after samples of one product tested positive for Listeria.

The cheese products under recall are as follows:

BMF
BMF Queso Quesadilla (Shredded)” -- 5 lb. packages, Distributed in New York. Sell by date of 16FEB12, 01MAR12 or 15MAR12, on product cases. The recalled product was distributed between October 21, 2011 and January 3, 2012.

Brennan’s
Brennan’s Cellars Shredded Premium Fondue Blend
Emmentaler Swiss & Gruyere Cheese
Brennan’s Cellars Shredded Mild Colored Cheddar Cheese,
Brennan’s Cellars Shredded Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese

The recalled products were distributed to Brennan’s Stores located in Milwaukee, Dane and Green Counties in Wisconsin.

El Viajero
El Viajero Queso Quesadilla (Shredded)” -- 8 oz packages,  UPC code 0 7282014045 7 (located on the bottom left of front label) and sell by dates of 24FEB12, 09MAR12 or 15MAR12, which are located on the back of the package. The recalled product was distributed in Wisconsin, Illinois, Tennessee and Florida between November 1, 2011 and January 3, 2012.

El Viajero Queso Cotija (Grated)” -- 4 lb. packages, Use-by code 09MAR12, located on the back of the package. The product was distributed in Indiana and Minnesota between November 11, 2011 and January 3, 2012.

Edelweiss Creamery
Edelweiss Creamery Premium Fondue Blend
16 ounce packages with a red and blue label UPC code of 758590116914 on the back of the package Identifier code of 290A11 on the back of the package
The products were distributed to Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Oklahoma, Michigan, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin and sold between November 1, 2011 and December 30, 2011.

Fromagerie Marie Kade
Cedar brand Shinglish firm unrippened cheese, delivered before November 13, 2011 UPC: 78546 10000
Cedar brand Tresse firm unrippened cheese, delivered before November 13, 2011 UPC 78546 01000 

These cheeses are sold in vacuum packs which bear the picture of a green cedar tree and were distributed in Southern California to Mediterranean specialty markets.

Fromagerie Marie Kade
Akawi Cheese Best Before 08 MAR 2012
Baladi Cheese Best Before 08 FEB 2012
Shinglish Cheese Best Before 07 NOV 2012
Tresse Cheese Best Before 10 NOV 2012

Vachekaval Cheese Best Before 10 MAR 2012
Halloom Best Before 01 MAY 2012

Moujadale Best Before 04 MAY 2012

These cheeses were distributed in Massachusetts to Cedar Market in Norwood and Bahnan’s in Worcester and bear the establishment number 1874

Green Cedar Dairy
All Natural Ackawi Cheese 
All Natural Chives Cheese
The recalled cheeses have sell by dates up to July 1, 2012 The products, produced at Green Cedar Dairy (Plant # 26941), were distributed in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties. They are sold in clear plastic vacuum-packed, square packages of 12 -14 oz. Two people who had contact with these products have confirmed cases of listeriosis.

HEB

HEB Queso Cotija (Grated)” – 8 oz. packages, Distributed in Texas. UPC code 0 4122024846 9 and sell-by dates of 08FEB12 and 09MAR12, which are located on the back of the package. Product was distributed between October 27, 2011 and December 23, 2011.

Miller’s Cheese Corp.
All 8 oz and 16 oz. bags of Miller’s shredded cheese (Pizza, Mozzarella, Cheddar, Fancy, Muenster), with an expiration of June 5,2012 through Sept 4, 2012
All 32 oz bags of Miller’s shredded Mozzarella with an expiration date of February 6, 2012 through May 7, 2012
All 5 lb bags of Miller’s shredded Mozzarella, Cheddar, Muenster and Monterey Jack with a pack date of September 8, 2011 through Dec 7, 2011
Please note: everything is expiration date except the 5 lb. Shredded bags are pack date
 

Nordic Creamery
Grumpy Goat Shreds in eight-ounce bags with a code date of 10-MAR-12 sold in stores in Wisconsin, Minnesota and California beginning Nov. 11.

World Cheese Corp
All 8 oz and 16 oz. bags of Haolam shredded cheese (Pizza, Mozzarella, Cheddar, Fancy, Muenster, R/F Muenster, R/F Cheddar), with an expiration of June 5,2012 through Sept 4, 2012
 
All 32 oz bags of Haolam shredded Mozzarella and Gourmet Blend with an expiration date of February 6, 2012 through May 7, 2012
 
All 5 lb bags of Haolam shredded Mozzarella, Cheddar and Muenster with a pack date of September 8, 2011 through Dec 7, 2011

Vegetable sprouts
Green Valley Food Corp. of Dallas, Texas is recalling approximately 35,159 cases of a variety of products potentially contaminated with Listeria.

Products purchased between 12/07/2011 and  1/1/2012 are affected in this recall and/or if the items have a use by date ranging from 12/22/2011 to 1/17/2012. 
The items affected in the recall are as follows:

• “Let’s Grow Healthy Together!” Alfalfa Sprouts 5 oz. plastic 2 piece containers with the UPC number 714722228818
• “Let’s Grow Healthy Together!” Spicy Sprouts 5 oz. plastic 2 piece containers with the UPC number 714722229914
• Alfalfa Sprouts 4oz. plastic security sealed clamshell UPC number 815098001088
• “Green Valley Food Corp.” Onion Sprouts” 4oz. plastic security sealed clamshell UPC number 815098002054
• “Let’s Grow Healthy Together!” Sunflower Greens 5 oz. plastic 2 piece containers with the UPC number 714722206069
• “Let’s Grow Healthy Together!” Clover Sprouts 5 oz. plastic 2 piece containers with the UPC number 714722225510
• “Let’s Grow Healthy Together!” Onion Sprouts 2 oz. plastic 2 piece containers with the UPC number 714722227712
• “Let’s Grow Healthy Together!” Zesty Sprouts 5 oz. plastic 2 piece containers with the UPC number 714722221116
• “Let’s Grow Healthy Together!” Organic Wheat Grass 6oz. plastic 2 piece containers with the UPC number 714722608122
• “Let’s Grow Healthy Together!” Mung Bean Sprouts 8oz. red polypropylene bag with the UPC number 714722208087
• “Let’s Grow Healthy Together!” Mung Bean Sprouts 8oz. clear polypropylene bag with the UPC number 815098001071
• “Let’s Grow Healthy Together!” Mung Bean Sprouts 16 oz. clear polypropylene bag with a green label, the UPC number 714722208162
• “Green Valley Food Corp.” Spicy Sprouts 4 oz. plastic security sealed clamshell containers with the UPC number 815098002023
• “Green Valley Food Corp.” Snow Pea Shoots 3 oz. plastic security sealed clamshell containers with the UPC number 714722106062
• “Green Valley Food Corp.” Organic Wheatgrass 4 oz. plastic security sealed clamshell containers with UPC number 714722608122
• “Green Valley Food Corp.” Daikon Sprouts 3 oz. plastic security sealed clamshell containers with UPC number 714722206076
• “Broccosprouts” Sandwich Blend 4 oz. plastic security sealed clamshell containers with UPC number 815098000289
• “Broccosprouts” Salad Blend 4 oz. plastic security sealed clamshell containers with UPC number 815098000265
• “Broccosprouts” Deli Blend 4 oz. plastic security sealed clamshell containers with the UPC number 815098000272
• “Broccosprouts” Broccoli Sprouts 4 oz. plastic security sealed clamshell containers with UPC number 815098000258
• The sprouts affected in this recall were distributed via truck deliveries to all custom

If you have legal questions about an illness associated with one of these recalls contact the foodborne illness lawyers at PritzKerOlsen P.A. for a free consultation.

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FDA inspectors found Listeria at Green Valley Foods Corp. in Dallas, Texas, after previously finding Salmonella in one of the company's products.  Both instances have resulted in food recalls, including a multi-label recall of sprouts. shoots and wheat grass in connection with the Listeria findings.

The company said in an FDA-published recall notice that the Salmonella was found in a sample of alfalfa-based product taken from a customer on December 12. A plant inspection ensued on December 21 and "several samples'' tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, a potential deadly bacterium that recently caused 31 U.S. deaths in a cantaloupe outbreak. The Listeria testing prompted a recall late on New Year's Eve day covering more than 35,000 cases of a variety of food items, mainly sprouts of different kinds. Click here for the full Green Valley Foods recall published by FDA.

The FDA or CDC has not announced any outbreak of illness associated with food recalls this month by Green Valley. The company, in its own words, put it this way: "Till this present day there has been no related illnesses CONFIRMED because of this recall . This is a cautionary measure taken by Green Valley Food Corp. to assure safe and quality products are being distributed by our facility.''

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A Michigan Listeria outbreak that has sickened two people may be associated with one of two current cheese recalls. Both Green Cedar Dairy of Dearborn, Mich. and Fromagerie Marie Kade of Quebec have issued cheese recalls because of possible Listeria contamination.

Green Cedar Dairy is recalling its “All Natural Ackawi Cheese” and “All Natural Chives Cheese” with sell by dates up to July 1, 2012 The products were produced at Green Cedar Dairy (Plant # 26941) and distributed in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties. They are sold in vacuum-packed, clear plastic, square packages of 12 -14 oz and distributed in Michigan’s Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties.Two people who were exposed to the recalled products from Green Cedar have contracted listeriosis.

Fromagerie Marie Kade is recalling cheeses that were distributed to markets in California and in Massachusetts to Cedar Market in Norwood and Bahnan’s in Worcester, according to the Massachusetts Department of Health. One confirmed case of listeriosis has been linked to the cheese according to Canadian and U.S. health officials.

The recalled products from Fromagerie Marie Kade, which bear the establishment number 1874 are as follows:

Akawi Cheese Best Before 08 MAR 2012
Baladi Cheese Best Before 08 FEB 2012.
Shinglish Cheese Best Before 07 NOV 2012
Tresse Cheese Best Before 10 NOV 2012
Vachekaval Cheese Best Before 10 MAR 2012
Halloom Best Before 01 MAY 2012
Moujadale Best Before 04 MAY 2012

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria found almost everywhere in the environment, but listeriosis, a Listeria infection, is most often caused by eating food that’s been tainted by the bacteria. Listeriosis usually causes flu-like symptoms including: fever, chills, muscle aches, diarrhea and upset stomach. In severe cases, it can also cause headaches, stiff neck, convulsions or death, according to the according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

If you have symptoms, see a health care provider. If you have legal questions about an illness or hospitalization associated with this outbreak, contact the Listeria attorneys at PritzkerOlsen P.A., a national leader in foodborne illness law for a free consultation.

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A Michigan listeriosis outbreak that may be linked to cheeses produced by a Dearborn dairy has prompted health officials to warn consumers about he dangers of Listeria and to remind pregnant women that they are at particular risk.

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria that is found almost everywhere in the environment, but listeriosis, a Listeria infection, is most often caused by eating food that’s been tainted by the bacteria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Pregnant women are about 20 times more likely than other healthy adults to get listeriosis. About one in six (17%) cases of listeriosis occurs during pregnancy, according to the CDC.

Listeriosis usually causes flu-like symptoms including: fever, chills, muscle aches, diarrhea and upset stomach. In severe cases, it can also cause headaches, stiff neck, convulsions or death. Among pregnant women, listeriosis can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, birth defects or other serious health problems for newborns, even if the expectant mother shows no signs of illness, according to the CDC.

The U.S.Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have compiled the following advice to limit risk of foodborne illness during pregnancy:

• Do not eat hot dogs, luncheon meats, or deli meats unless they are reheated until steaming hot.

• Do not eat soft cheeses such as feta, Brie, and Camembert, blue-veined cheeses, or Mexican-style cheeses such as queso blanco, queso fresco, and Panela, unless they have labels that clearly state they are made from pasteurized milk.
  
• Do not eat refrigerated pâté or meat spreads.
  
• Do not eat refrigerated smoked seafood unless it is an ingredient in a cooked dish such as a casserole. Examples of refrigerated smoked seafood include salmon, trout, whitefish, cod, tuna, and mackerel which are most often labeled as "nova-style," "lox," "kippered," "smoked," or "jerky." This fish is found in the refrigerated section or sold at deli counters of grocery stores and delicatessens.
  
• Do not drink raw (unpasteurized) milk or eat foods that contain unpasteurized milk.
  
• Avoid getting fluid from hot dog packages on other foods, utensils, and food preparation surfaces, and wash hands after handling hot dogs, luncheon meats, and deli meats.

  
• Use all refrigerated perishable items that are precooked or ready-to-eat as soon as possible. 

  
• Clean your refrigerator regularly. 

  
• -Use a refrigerator thermometer to make sure that the refrigerator always stays at 40 °F or below.
    

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The Michigan Listeria outbreak that has infected at least two people and led to the recall of All Natural Ackawi Cheese and All Natural Chives Cheese from Green Cedar Dairy of Dearborn is being investigated by Listeria lawyer Fred Pritzker and members of his national food safety law firm.

Michigan agriculture and health officials found Listeria monocytogenes in samples of cheese that had been distributed to bakeries and retail stores in the greater Dearborn and Detroit areas, including Macomb , Oakland and Wayne Counties. The cheese has a sell by date up to July 1, 2012. The product is sold in approximately 12-14 oz. squares vacuum sealed in clear plastic.

In Listeria outbreaks, it is important for victims and their families to understand their legal rights and remedies. A good Listeria attorney will have the experience needed to know who is responsible for the harm done to you and how best to proceed with a lawsuit. Please call or submit your contact information for a free case consultation. Pritzker Olsen Attorneys toll free phone is 1-888-377-8900.

Listeria outbreak litigation

Although Listeria tends to infect fewer people, it is typically deadlier than other foodborne pathogens and inordinately affects the elderly, newborns, pregnant women and anyone with a weakened immune system. The organism can result in fetal death or miscarriage and some people develop meningitis.

The nation's worst Listeria outbreak ever occurred earlier this year, killing 31 people who were infected by contaminated cantaloupe from Jensen Farms in Colorado. Pritzker Olsen was involved in that outbreak as attorney for victims and litigation is ongoing.

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Green Cedar Dairy in Dearborn, Michigan is recalling two cheeses after Listeria monocytogenes was found in tests by the agriculture department and two people who had exposure to the products contracted listeriosis, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administartion (FDA).

The recall includes products labeled: Green Cedar Dairy  (Plant # 26941) All Natural Ackawi and All Natural Chives Cheese with sell by dates up to July 1, 2012. The product is sold in approximately 12-14 oz. square, vacuum sealed, clear plastic packages and distributed in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties.

Consumers are urged not to consume the products. Green Cedar Dairy is requesting that all retail stores cease selling these cheeses immediately, and that restaurants cease serving them. 

The Michigan Department of Community Health and the Wayne County Public Health Department are investigating  two cases of listeriosis in people who may have been exposed to Green Cedar Dairy products, according to the FDA.

Listeriosis is a serious sometimes fatal infection caused by eating foods tainted with Listeria bacteria. Onset of flu-like symptoms can begin anywhere from a few days up to two months after ingestion of the tainted food. Children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems particularly pregnant women are most at risk. Among pregnant women, listeriosis can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or birth defects or other serious health problems in newborns.

PritzkerOlsen P.A. is a national leader in foodborne illness law. Their attorneys can answer legal questions about an illness or hospitalization associated with this outbreak. Contact them for a free consultation.

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has declared an official end to the cantaloupe Listeria outbreak which began in Colorado in mid-August and swept through 28 states sickening 146 people and killing 30 before meeting its own end.

The source of the outbreak was Jensen Farms of Holly, Colo., where the FDA found a number of unsanitary conditions including used packing equipment that was difficult to clean and standing water on the packing room floor.

The number of victims  identified in each state was as follows: Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), California (4), Colorado (40), Idaho (2), Illinois (4), Indiana (3), Iowa (1), Kansas (11), Louisiana (2), Maryland (1), Missouri (7), Montana (1), Nebraska (6), Nevada (1), New Mexico (15), New York (2), North Dakota (2), Oklahoma (12), Oregon (1), Pennsylvania (1), South Dakota (1), Texas (18), Utah (1), Virginia (1), West Virginia (1), Wisconsin (2), and Wyoming (4).

 

Thirty deaths were reported: Colorado (8), Indiana (1), Kansas (3), Louisiana (2), Maryland (1), Missouri (3), Nebraska (1), New Mexico (5), New York (2), Oklahoma (1), Texas (2), and Wyoming (1). Those who died ranged in age  from 48 to 96 years, with a median age of 82.5 years. In addition, one woman who was pregnant at the time of illness had a miscarriage.

Those with legal questions regarding an illness or hospitalization associated with this outbreak should contact the foodborne illness attorneys at PritzkerOlsen P.A. for a free consultation.

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RaceTrac, an Atlanta company that operates 320 stores in the southeast, has cut ties with Flying Food Group after sandwiches it made for RaceTrac stores were recalled for potential Listeria contamination, according to Patch.

The recalled sandwiches, listed below, were made at Flying Foods’ Lawrenceville location and were to be sold in Georgia RaceTrac locations only.

RaceTrac removed all Flying Food Group products from its Georgia locations “on November 26 after our independent testing revealed a potential food safety issue at the supplier’s Lawrenceville facility. We immediately notified state and federal authorities of our findings and fully participated in their investigations,” a RacetTrac spokesman told Patch.

But it wasn’t until December 3, a week later, that Flying Foods issued a recall of the sandwiches and issued an updated recall to include more sandwiches on December 5. No illnesses have been reported in connection with this problem.

Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an infection that can be serious and sometimes fatal in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Among pregnant women, listeria infections can cause miscarriages or stillbirths. Symptoms include high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. The time period between ingesting contaminated food and onset of illness can be as long as 70 days.

The sandwiches, which had an expiration date of November 30, 2011, were made for RaceTrac and distributed to retail outlets in Georgia only. They are:

Race Trac (distributed in Georgia):
7.8 ounce packages of “Chicken Quarter Pounder” that have “Sell Thru” dates 10/11/11-11/30/11
8.8 ounce packages of “Chicken Quarter Pounder with Tomatoes” that have “Sell Thru” dates 10/11/11-11/30/11
7.38 ounce packages of “Ham Quarter Pounder” that have “Sell Thru” dates 10/11/11-11/30/117.38 ounce packages of “Ham Quarter Pounder” that have “Sell Thru” dates 10/11/11-11/30/11
9.05 ounce packages of “Ham Quarter Pounder with Tomatoes” that have “Sell Thru” dates 10/11/11-11/30/11
10.17 ounce packages of “American Sub” that have “Sell Thru” dates 10/11/11-11/30/11
7.38 ounce packages of “Turkey Quarter Pounder” that have “Sell Thru” dates 10/11/11-11/30/11
9.05 ounce packages of “Turkey Quarter Pounder with Tomatoes” that have “Sell Thru” dates 10/11/11-11/30/11
 

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Dale Braddock, an Omaha man who is one of six Nebraskans who contracted listeriosis from tainted cantaloupe grown on Jensen Farms in Colorado, has filed suit against the grower, the distributor, the grocery store and the food safety auditor, according to a story in the JournalStar.com

Melons grown on Jensen Farms were the source of a listeria outbreak last summer that was one of the deadliest foodborne illness outbreaks in U.S. history, killing 29 people and sickening a total of 139 in 28 states.

Jensen Farms, Frontera Produce, Kroger Co., which owns Baker's Supermarket and Primus Labs are all named as defendants in the suit filed November 30, in U.S. District Court in Nebraska.

Braddock purchased a contaminated melon from a Baker's Supermarket store in Omaha in August. Both he and his daughter became ill, but his illness became so severe that he was taken to a hospital by ambulance, according to the story.

In the suit, Braddock demands a jury trial in Omaha and asks to be compensated for his injuries and damages, attorney's fees, costs and other relief, according to the story. A dollar amount was not specified.

If you have legal questions about an illness, hospitalization or death associated with the cantaloupe listeria outbreak, contact the attorneys at PritzkerOlsen, a national leader in food safety law.

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Food safety advocates say a flawed inspection system played a role in cantaloupe Listeria outbreak, one of the deadliest foodborne illness outbreaks in U.S. history.

The outbreak, which was linked to cantaloupe grown on Jensen Farms, in Holly, Colo., sickened 139 people in 28 states over a three-month period beginning July 31. Dozens of those stricken required hospitalization, 29 people died and one woman who was pregnant miscarried.

On October 19, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an environmental assessment of factors that likely contributed to the contamination of melons grown on the farm. The report cited a number of unsanitary conditions including standing water on the floor of the packing facility and used equipment that was hard to clean. Yet just one month the outbreak began, an independent inspection service gave Jensen Farms a “superior” rating.

The FDA has 1,100 inspectors charged with monitoring 421,121 domestic and foreign farms and food processors, Douglas Karas, an agency spokesman, told Bloomberg News. On average, the FDA is able to inspect less than a quarter of all food facilities each year, so third-party auditors step in to fill the gap.

But there is no standardized training or accreditation process. And hired auditors often are usually paid by those they are inspecting, creating conflicts of interest. Food safety advocates, including members of the Make Our Food Safe Coalition are urging the FDA to address these issues as it revamps inspection guidelines under the Food Safety Modernization Act. Make Our Food Safe Coalition members include The American Public Health Association, the Center for Foodborne Illness Research & Prevention, The Pew Charitable Trusts and STOP Foodborne Illness.

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The California cantaloupe industry wants growers and handlers around to contribute money for research that will improve food safety and restore consumer confidence after the deadly multistate cantaloupe listeria outbreak, according to a story in The Packer.

The California Cantaloupe Advisory Board (CCAB) and California Melon Research Board (CMRB) have each pledged $100,000 toward the research.The goal is to raise $1 million to fund a research project at the Center for Produce Safety at the University of California, Davis, CCAB chairman Steve Patricio said. A meeting for industry stakeholders is scheduled are scheduled for January 11, 2012.

California cantaloupe growers, who pride themselves on their zero-outbreak track record, have been industry leaders in establishing best practice guidelines for growing. One key element shown by California research is that the growing conditions in dry regions make it a good practice to field pack cantaloupe, rather than sending it to packing sheds for water washes.

About 90 percent of California cantaloupe is field-packed and sent immediately to coolers, Steve Smith, co-owner of Trulock Fruit Co. Inc. and CMRB president estimates in the story.“Research has shown that in our growing conditions there are very few, if any, pathogens present,” Smith said. “When you introduce water to the packing process you introduce a growth medium. There is also a much greater chance for cross-contamination.”

The packing shed was a contamination point at Jensen Farms in Holly, Colo, the origin of the Listeria outbreak that sickened 139 people in 28 states, killing 29 and causing one miscarriage.

“In terms of the recent [Listeria] outbreak, we really needed to know what the FDA found when they inspected the Colorado facility,” said Bonnie Fernandez-Fenaroli, executive director for the Center for Produce Safety, in the story. “The report they published on the conditions there is crucial to examining the overall situation.”

Contact the foodborne illness experts at the law firm of PritzkerOlsen P.A. for a free consultation if you have legal questions about an illness or hospitalization associated with this outbreak.

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Cantaloupe growers from Colorado’s Rocky Ford area are seeking help from federal and state agencies to develop a plan that will restore consumer confidence in the safety of melons grown in the region before the 2012 season.

Until the Jensen Farms cantaloupe Listeria outbreak this year, Rocky Ford, the birthplace of the U.S. cantaloupe industry, was known for producing cantaloupes with an especially sweet taste. Although Jensen Farms of Holly, Colo., is located about 84 miles east of Rocky Ford, the stickers on the tainted melon it sold read “Sweet Rocky Fords.”

Farmers have been growing cantaloupes and the Rocky Ford brand for 120 years, said grower Chuck Hanagan, a spokesman for growers from the Rocky Ford region. "And in all those years, we have never had a problem with our cantaloupe. But now we have been harmed by the listeria outbreak in cantaloupe far from here."

Colorado Agriculture Commissioner John Salazar met with about 20 growers on November 14 to discuss how to recover from the fallout of the cantaloupe Listeria outbreak, one of the deadliest in U.S. history.

“They (state officials) set forth a buffet of ideas and said they would help in any way they can and be a resource for us,” grower Chuck Hanagan, a spokesman for growers from the Rocky Ford region, told The Packer. “We are in the process of securing our name and defining our region.”

One of the ideas discussed was whether to establish a marketing order for the cantaloupe growers, according to the Packer story. Such an order could define the growing region, establish handling and food safety practices for growers and shippers and include a marketing fee.

But Hanagan said what the growers really need is public relations help form state and local agencies. He wants them to make it clear to consumers that the problem was with Jensen Farms, not in the Rocky Ford area.

"We have a history, we could throw our world-famous name in the dumpster and rename or we could vindicate our product," Hanagan told the Chieftan. "We want vindication."
 

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In the wake of one of the deadliest foodborne illness outbreaks in U.S. history, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a letter of guidance to the cantaloupe industry.

The cantaloupe Listeria outbreak, which sickened 139 people, killed 29 and caused one miscarriage, began in Colorado and spread through 28 states in less than two months. The source of the outbreak was Jensen Farms, Holly, Colo., where the FDA found a number of unsanitary conditions.

Listeria is a bacterium that can contaminate foods and, if ingested, cause severe, sometimes life-threatening illness. Fatality rates for listeriosis are between 20 percent and 30 percent. Those most at risk are the elderly, the immuno-compromised, fetuses and neonates.

Although tainted cantaloupe has been a source of other foodborne illness outbreaks, this is the first time the melon has ever been contaminated with Listeria. The sweeping and tragic scope of that new combination, prompted the FDA’s letter which acknowledges that many in the cantaloupe industry have taken actions to address food safety but encourages all to review their practices and to read the following agency publications:

• “Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards of Melons”
• “Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables”
• “Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh-cut Fruits and Vegetables.”
• “Control of Listeria monocytogenes in Refrigerated or Frozen Ready-To-Eat Foods.”

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The cantaloupe Listeria outbreak that has killed 29 people and caused one miscarriage is one of deadliest in U.S. history, putting it in the grim company of the 1985 Mexican-style soft cheese Listeria outbreak that killed 28 and caused 20 miscarriages; the 1924 oyster typhoid outbreak that killed 150 people and sickened 1,500; and the 1911 raw milk Streptococcus outbreak that killed 48 people and sickened more than 2,000.

As of November 1, 139 people in 28 states have contracted listeriosis by eating Rocky Ford cantaloupe produced by Jensen Farms in Colorado, according to the latest update from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. The victims began to fall ill between July 31, 2011 and October 21, 2011.

Among reported cases, almost 60 percent are female. Although they range in age from less than 1 year to 96 years old, the median age is 77 and most are over 60. Virtually all of the patients, 99 percent of those for whom information is available, required hospitalization.

State and local health departments in these and other states are investigating other listeriosis illnesses to determine if they are part of this outbreak. As of November 1, the number of infected persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), California (2), Colorado (39), Idaho (2), Illinois (3), Indiana (3), Iowa (1), Kansas (10), Louisiana (2), Maryland (1), Missouri (6), Montana (1), Nebraska (6), Nevada (1), New Mexico (15), New York (2), North Dakota (2), Oklahoma (11), Oregon (1), Pennsylvania (1), South Dakota (1), Texas (18), Utah (1), Virginia (1), West Virginia (1), Wisconsin (2), and Wyoming (4).

The incubation period for listeriosis can be as long as two months. If you ate Rocky Ford melon from Jensen Farms and later developed symptoms including fever and muscle aches, preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms, contact your health care provider. If you need legal advice about an illness associated with this outbreak, contact the attorneys at PritzkerOlsen P.A. for a free consultation.

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CDC is reporting 30 deaths from eating contaminated cantaloupe grown by Jensen Farms in Colorado:

Colorado (8), Indiana (1), Kansas (3), Louisiana (2), Maryland (1), Missouri (2), Nebraska (1), New Mexico (6), New York (2), Oklahoma (1), Texas (2), and Wyoming (1).

These numbers include one unborn child whose mother contracted a Listeria infection (listeriosis) that then sickened the unborn baby. Having represented other women who lost babies in this way, we know that this was a devastating loss for the family.

Most of the people who died were elderly. That they would have to die in such a painful way is an outrage, particularly since conditions at the Jensen Farms cantaloupe plant were so grossly unsanitary.

Our law firm is investigating additional deaths to determine if the cases are part of this outbreak. Contact our law firm for a free consultation with a Listeria lawyer regarding a lawsuit against Jensen Farms, the distributor and a retailer. Every company responsible for these deaths needs to be held accountable.

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The CDC has released the new numbers for the cantaloupe Listeria outbreak linked to  Jensen Farms cantaloupe grown in Colorado. 139 persons have been reported to CDC from 28 states.  The number of infected persons identified in each state is as follows:

Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), California (2), Colorado (39), Idaho (2), Illinois (3), Indiana (3), Iowa (1), Kansas (10), Louisiana (2), Maryland (1), Missouri (6), Montana (1), Nebraska (6), Nevada (1), New Mexico (15), New York (2), North Dakota (2), Oklahoma (11), Oregon (1), Pennsylvania (1), South Dakota (1), Texas (18), Utah (1), Virginia (1), West Virginia (1), Wisconsin (2), and Wyoming (4).

Nevada and Utah have reported their first case each since the last CDC update, and additional cases in these and other states are being investigated to determine if they are part of this outbreak.

132 (99%) of the Listeria victims were hospitalized. Thirty deaths have been reported, including one unborn baby who was miscarried when the mother contracted a Listeria infection that then sickened the baby:

Colorado (8), Indiana (1), Kansas (3), Louisiana (2), Maryland (1), Missouri (2), Nebraska (1), New Mexico (6), New York (2), Oklahoma (1), Texas (2), and Wyoming (1).

Among persons who died, ages range from 48 to 96 years, with a median age of 81 years. In addition, one woman pregnant at the time of illness had a miscarriage.

Evidence Implicating Jensen Farms as Source of Cantaloupe Listeria Outbreak

Epidemiological Evidence: Among the 103 ill persons with available information on what they ate, 97 (94%) reported consuming cantaloupes in the month before illness onset. Several ill persons remembered the type of cantaloupe they had eaten and said they were Rocky Ford cantaloupes, which are grown in the Rocky Ford region of southeastern Colorado. Source tracing of the cantaloupes that ill persons ate indicated that they came from Jensen Farms fields in Granada, CO, and were marketed as being from the Rocky Ford region.

Microbiological Evidence: Laboratory testing by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment identified Listeria monocytogenes bacteria on cantaloupes collected from grocery stores and from ill persons’ homes. Product traceback information from Colorado state officials indicated that these cantaloupes also came from Jensen Farms. Laboratory testing by FDA has identified L. monocytogenes outbreak strains in samples from equipment and cantaloupe at the Jensen Farms’ packing facility in Granada, Colorado.

Contact our Listeria attorneys for a free consultation regarding a lawsuit against Jensen Farms and the retailer who sold you the contaminated cantaloupe.

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Within the last month, four companies have announced recalls for salad greens possibly tainted with Listeria. Listeria is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. 

 No illnesses have been reported in association with the recalls:

Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Inc. is recalling 12 oz bags of fresh, Washed Spinach, with the Enjoy by date of OCT 16 sold under the f&e™ label.

True Leaf Farms is recalling 2 lb. bags of chopped romaine with a bag and box code B256-46438-8 and a “use by date” of 9/29/11. The bags were shipped between September 12 and 13 to an institutional food service distributor in Oregon who further distributed it to at least two additional states, Washington and Idaho.

Giant Eagle is recalling 8 oz packages of Shredded Iceberg Lettuce, produced by River Ranch Fresh Foods LLC, with a use by date of October 14, 2011. Additionally, the shredded iceberg lettuce was used in a small number of prepared deli ring sandwiches. The affected deli ring sandwiches include:

• Giant Eagle Large Italian Sandwich Ring (UPC 23755100000),

• Giant Eagle Mini Italian Sandwich Ring (UPC 24755500000),

• Giant Eagle Large New York Sandwich Ring (UPC 22755100000),

• Giant Eagle Mini New York Sandwich Ring (UPC 25755500000),

• Giant Eagle Large All America Sandwich Ring (UPC

River Ranch Fresh Foods  is recalling of 2,154 cases of various bagged salad products. The bagged salad products subject to the recall include: 

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The Listeria death toll in the Jensen Farms cantaloupe outbreak has risen to 28, a grim tally that includes newly confirmed cantaloupe Listeria fatalities in Kansas, Colorado and Missouri. The latest figures were provided in a Listeria outbreak update by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Ten additional illnesses were confirmed by CDC since the last update was provided October 18. Now there are 133 confirmed illnesses in 26 states. In addition, there has been a loss of life due to miscarriage and officials are closely monitoring at least two other pregnancies where the mother is poisoned by cantaloupe Listeria.

Cantaloupe lawsuit case consultations are available at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) from Listeria lawyers at PritzkerOlsen, P.A., a national food safety law firm. Founder and president Fred Pritzker currently represents victims in this outbreak, including the families of two people who died. Pritzker was featured prominently in a newspaper account of the outbreak published by The Christian Science Monitor and he has spent years actively involved in efforts to prevent outbreaks of foodborne illness. Leave your contact information and Fred or another attorney in the office will call you. Mr. Pritzker headed Listeria litigation in 2002 that resulted in several multi-million dollar settlements. That was the last time a Listeria outbreak in the U.S. caused multiple deaths and was solved by public health investigators. 

From the CDC's October 25, 2011, UPDATE on the Jensen Farms Cantaloupe Listeria Outbreak, here is a national picture of where the outbreak has spread:

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Researchers at Sentinel Bioactive Paper in Ontario have developed a bacteria-killing food packaging material that may prevent future foodborne illness outbreaks.

Hany Anany and Mansel Griffiths, from the University of Guelph, applied phages, which are harmless viruses that can kill bacteria, to cellulose packaging material. Both the U.S. FDA and Health Canada have approved phages as safe food additives in certain foods.

The researchers wrapped ready-to-eat meats tainted with E. coli and Listeria monocytogenes in the packaging and found that it killed the bacteria. The method works at refrigerated temperatures, where Listeria thrives, and in vacuum packaging. The process is described in a paper published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

The researchers are hopeful that the technology will prevent future foodborne illness outbreaks such as the cantaloupe Listeria outbreak, which has sickened more than 123 people and killed 25 since the end of July.

Foodborne illness is a serious public health threat that affetcts millions of Americans every year. In the last month alone, three companies have recalled a total of almost 600,000 pounds of ground beef possibly tainted with E. coli O157:H7. Commercial Meat Company of Los Angeles recalled 400,000 pounds, Tyson Fresh Meats Inc. of Emporia Kansas recalled 131,000 pounds and Palo Duro Meat of Amarillo, Texas recalled 40,000 pounds.

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Landshire of St. Louis, is recalling of 1,751 cases of the Nike All-American sandwich because of potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

The sandwiches were distributed to grocery stores nationwide. They are individually wrapped in white packages sandwich weighing 7.25 ounces. They bear the UPC code: 0 9748801741 5 and lot number: 11 237 6, which is printed in black ink on the side or back of the package. No other Landshire products or code dates are affected by this recall. No illnesses have been reported to date.

The potential problem was discovered during routine sampling taken by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services for retail food establishments.

Listeria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. It can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. Healthy individuals who contract listeriosis generally suffer  short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

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Yamaya USA Inc. of Torrance Calif. is recalling 2-pound plastic containers of Masago (Capelin Roe) because of potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

The packages have a white label with both Japanese and English writing and bear the mark: “Item No. 09867.” They were distributed to retail stores in Los Angeles, Baltimore, Atlanta and Mexico.

Masago, which is orange-red in color, is a common sushi ingredient often used as a garnish. No illnesses have been reported in association with this recall.

Listeria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. It can also can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. Healthy individuals who contract listeriosis may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
 

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Missouri Listeria Death No. 2 has been confirmed by the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, worsening the Jensen Farms cantaloupe outbreak that CDC officials are still actively monitoring.

The 84-year-old person is the second in Southwest Missouri to die from listeriosis caused by contaminated cantaloupe that came from a packing facility where health investigators found dirty equipment, standing water on the floor and a questionable protocol for cooling the melons. Missouri's second fatality linked to the outbreak expands the total number of cantaloupe Listeria deaths to 26 nationwide.

In total, five Missouri residents have been stricken and CDC data indicates that nearly everyone who falls sick with one of  the outbreak strains of Listeria becomes hospitalized. More than 123 people in 26 states have been sickened since July 31 and more case confirmations are expected.

Listeria lawyer Fred Pritzker represents victims of this outbreak in  litigation that will encompass Missouri and other states. The lawsuits will seek monetary recoveries and justice for those who have suffered from negligence uncovered in the sweeping investigation of America's deadliest outbreak of food poisoning in 25 years. A good Listeria lawyer will pursue claims that also include future harms due to loss of companionship, future medical costs, loss of income and future pain and suffering.

Pritzker was the lead attorney in a cluster of Listeria lawsuits brought in the last major Listeria outbreak -- in 2002, winning several million dollars for survivors and the families of those who died.  Free case consultations are available at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or leave your contact information and a lawyer will call you.

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Alberstons grocery company was one of the retailers that stocked Rocky Ford cantaloupes from Jensen Farms which have been associated with the multi-state Listeria outbreak that has stricken more than 120 people in 26 states.

Albertsons, which operates 450 stores in nine states throughout the Northwest and West Coast, is a division of Minneapolis-based SUPERVALU. In response to the Jensen Farms recall on September 14, Albertsons pulled all cantaloupe grown in Colorado from its store shelves. Since that time, the cantaloupe at its stores is from other growing regions that are not subject to this recall. However, the incubation period for listeriosis can take up to 70 days, so it’s possible that customers may have purchased and eaten tainted melons before the recall was announced but will not show signs of illness until mid-November.

State and federal health officials urge anyone who believes they have become ill from eating a contaminated melon to seek medical advice. Those with legal questions regarding this outbreak should contact the Listeria experts at PritzkerOlsen P.A., a nationally recognized food safety law firm practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation.

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Listeria death lawsuits stemming from the Jensen Farm cantaloupe outbreak were informed by new findings this week, including a Food and Drug Administration report of unsanitary conditions in Jensen's melon-washing and packing facility.

The company had purchased a potato washing machine and installed it this summer to handle the 2011 cantaloupe harvest. FDA inspectors found it to be dirty and very hard to keep clean. The inspection also found standing water on the facility's floor -- which was also poorly designed for cleaning. The conditions -- coupled with questionable melon-cooling techniques that led to condensation on the rinds -- were breeding grounds for Listeria that has been linked to 25 deaths, one miscarriage and 123 illnesses in 26 states. See more on the FDA cantaloupe report.

FDA officials told reporters the agency had never inspected Jensen Farms cantaloupe operation in 20 years of operation. The officials said they have learned that a private inspection led to high marks for Jensen shortly before the outbreak started.

USA Today reported that Primus Labs of Santa Maria, California, gave the Jensen Farms packing house a "superior" rating just six days before the outbreak started. The private inspector noted that the newly installed equipment used water that was not treated with anti-microbial solution, but he didn't score them down for it. A food safety expert told USA Today that the lack of anti-microbial agents, such as chlorine, posed another risk.

National food safety lawyer Fred Pritzker, who represents victims in the cantaloupe Listeria outbreak, said the latest findings will be key to the Listeria litigation. Meanwhile, the outbreak is not over and PritzkerOlsen, P.A., is continuing to accept new cases at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or leave your contact information and a lawyer will call you. Consultations are free. If the firm agrees to take your case, you pay nothing until your claim is won.

As the facts become known, it's clear that the nation's deadliest outbreak of foodborne disease in the past 25 years was preventable. In addition to representing victims, our firm has been actively working for many years to help keep deadly pathogens out of the food supply and to hold those who are irresponsible accountable for their actions.

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Standing water on the floor of the Jensen Farms cantaloupe packing facility and used equipment that was hard to clean were likely breeding grounds for Listeria monocytogenes, the bacteria responsible for the deadliest outbreak of foodborne illness in almost three decades, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Wednesday.

The cantaloupe Listeria outbreak, which has swept through 26 states, has killed 25 people, caused one miscarriage and stricken more than 100 others. In a six-page report released October 19, the FDA outlines the factors that most likely contributed to the introduction, spread, and growth of Listeria on cantaloupes.

Introduction of the bacteria occurred in two possible ways, according to the report, either low levels of the bacteria existed in the fields where the melons were grown, or it was carried in on a truck.

From there, it spread and grew easily in the unsanitary conditions found on the farm including:

• A packing facility design that allowed water to pool on the floor near equipment and employee walkways;
• A packing facility floor that was constructed in a manner that made it difficult to clean
• Used packing equipment that was not easily cleaned and sanitized;
• Lack of pre-cooling step to remove field heat from the cantaloupes before cold storage. As the cantaloupes cooled, there may have been condensation that promoted the growth of Listeria.

Listeria can grow and thrive in refrigerated conditions and is killed only by cooking or pasteurization. Consumption of foods contaminated with Listeria can caused serious, sometimes, fatal illness. It is especially danegrous to children, the elderly and pregnant women. If you have legal questions about a case related to this outbreak, contact the Listeria experts at the law firm of PritzkerOlsen P.A., for a free consultation.
 

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Yesterday, the FDA sent Ryan D. Jensen and Eric S. Jensen, Co-Owners of Jensen Farms, a warning letter. Jensen Farms cantaloupe have been linked to at least 123 cases of listeriosis (illness caused by Listeria bacteria) in 26 states. The cantaloupe Listeria outbreak has proven extremely deadly--26 dead, 25 adults and one miscarriage.

The FDA warning letter outlined the results of the FDA investigation of the Jensen Farms packing facility located at 31 North Cline, Granada, Colorado and stated that the cantaloupe packed in the Jensen Farms packing facility are "adulterated within the meaning of Section 402(a)(4) of the Act [21 U.S.C. § 342(a)(4)] in that they have been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby they may have been rendered injurious to health [were injurious to health and killed over 20 people]."

Below are excerpts from the FDA warning letter.  As background, four strains of Listeria and two serotypes (1/2a and 1/2b) have been associated with the outbreak.

• During the September 10 inspection, FDA sampled cantaloupes from cases on four pallets in the cold storage in your packing facility. FDA conducted laboratory analyses, including pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (“PFGE”), on these samples. Five of the ten cantaloupes FDA analyzed were positive for Listeria monocytogenes. The PFGE analysis determined that four of the ten cantaloupes matched the strain of Listeria monocytogenes representing cluster #2, and one of the cantaloupes matched the strain of Listeria monocytogenes representing cluster # 4. Consequently, these cantaloupes from your facility are adulterated within the meaning of Section 402(a)(1) of the Act [21 U.S.C. § 342(a)(1)] in that they bear or contain a poisonous or deleterious substance that may render them injurious to health.
• During the inspection, we also collected environmental swabs from various locations and surfaces throughout your packing facility. FDA conducted laboratory analyses which determined that 13 of the 39 total environmental swabs were positive for outbreak strains of Listeria monocytogenes. PFGE analysis determined that eleven of the positive swabs matched the strain of Listeria monocytogenes represented by cluster #2, one positive swab matched the strain of Listeria monocytogenes represented by cluster #4, and one positive swab matched the strain of Listeria monocytogenes represented by cluster #3. Further, one swab was positive for a strain of Listeria monocytogenes that did not match any of the outbreak strains. These positive swabs were taken from different locations throughout the washing and packing areas in your facility, all of which were either food contact surfaces or areas adjacent to food contact surfaces. This significant percentage of swabs that tested positive for outbreak strains of Listeria monocytogenes demonstrates widespread contamination throughout your facility and indicates poor sanitary practices in the facility.
• Accordingly, the cantaloupe packed in your facility are adulterated within the meaning of Section 402(a)(4) of the Act [21 U.S.C. § 342(a)(4)] in that they have been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby they may have been rendered injurious to health.

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Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and other states are still finding deaths and illnesses stemming from the cantaloupe Listeria outbreak that has now killed 25 people, caused at least one miscarriage and has hospitalized more than 100 others.

There are 26 states now involved in the outbreak linked to whole cantaloupes from Jensen Farms of Granada, Colorado. Pennsylvania is the latest addition. There have been two deaths in New York, 6 in Colorado and five in New Mexico. Jensen recalled millions of cantaloupes September 14th and the melons clearly are out of distribution by now, but Listeria symptoms sometimes don't show up until two months after a person has eaten contaminated food.

Meanwhile, there's also the time it takes for public health officials to be notified of such illnesses or deaths and additional time for them to collect samples required for testing to confirm matches to the four Listeria strains related to this outbreak. "State and local health departments in these and other states are investigating other listeriosis illnesses to determine if they are part of this outbreak,'' the CDC said in its latest statement, published October 18.

• Among persons who died, ages range from 48 to 96 years, with a median age of 87 years. Most ill persons are over 60 years old and 98 percent were hospitalized.
• Four of the illnesses were related to a pregnancy; one was diagnosed in a newborn and three were diagnosed in pregnant women.  One miscarriage has been reported. Other outcomes are being monitored.
• About 800 laboratory-confirmed cases of Listeria infection are reported each year in the United States and typically 3 or 4 outbreaks are identified. The foods that typically cause these outbreaks have been deli meats, hot dogs, and Mexican-style soft cheeses made with unpasteurized milk.  Produce is not often identified as a source, but sprouts caused an outbreak in 2009, and celery caused an outbreak in 2010.

From the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), here's the state-by-state breakdowns of illnesses and deaths stemming from the Jensen Farms Listeria cantaloupe outbreak that started on July 31.

Infected Persons: Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), California (2), Colorado (36), Idaho (1), Illinois (2), Indiana (3), Iowa (1), Kansas (7), Louisiana (2), Maryland (1), Missouri (4), Montana (1), Nebraska (6), New Mexico (13), New York (2), North Dakota (1), Oklahoma (11), Oregon (1), Pennsylvania (1), South Dakota (1), Texas (18), Virginia (1), West Virginia (1), Wisconsin (2), and Wyoming (3). 

Cantaloupe Listeria Deaths: 6 in Colorado, 1 in Indiana, 2 in Kansas, 2 in Louisiana, 1 in Maryland, 1 in Missouri, 1 in Nebraska, 5 in New Mexico, 2 in New York, 1 in Oklahoma, 2 in Texas, and 1 in Wyoming..

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Listeria lawyer Fred Pritzker fully expects more deaths and illnesses to be reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) before the cantaloupe Listeria outbreak is over, but the latest figures show an increase of 2 deaths and 7 illnesses.

Pritzker is founder and president of national food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., which represents Jensen Farms Listeria victims, including the families of two people who died. A total of 25 deaths and 123 illnesses have been reported as of October 18, making this the deadliest food poisoning outbreak in the U.S. in 25 years. Colorado now has six deaths and there are two in New York.

The last major Listeria outbreak was in 2002, when Pritzker was the lead lawyer on a run of Listeria lawsuits that resulted in multiple settlements of more than $1 million each. Experience shows that new cases can be identified months after contaminated food is recalled because the bacteria can be very slow to show itself in symptoms.  Consequently, more people will be filing a cantaloupe lawsuit.

The latest CDC outbreak has information important to the litigation, including confirmation that laboratory testing by the Food and Drug Administration has identified Listeria monocytogenes outbreak strains in samples from equipment and cantaloupe at the Jensen Farms’ packing facility in Granada, Colorado

FDA is working closely with CDC, the firms involved, and public health authorities in states where illnesses occurred to determine the exact cause of contamination, but the investigation clearly is centered on the Jensen packing shed. Was the facility a breeding ground for Listeria, which can grow at cool temperatures and spread via water? What kind of pathogen testing was going on in the packing and melon-washing rooms to protect consumers? Negligence has been a factor in many outbreaks of food poisoning and federal authorities have confirmed over and over that deadly episodes of Listeria and other enteric bacteria in the food supply are quite preventable.

For a free Listeria consultation, call PritzerOlsen at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or leave your contact information and Fred or another staff lawyer will promptly return your call. Our firm is one of the very few in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation and we are actively involved in numerous efforts to prevent the spread of food poisoning.

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The probable cause of the 2011 deadly cantaloupe outbreak was a packing facility where Listeria could grow in cool, wet temperatures, a Colorado TV news report says. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is expected to come out with this finding when it reports on the outbreak's root cause.

The investigative report by KKTV CBS4 goes like this:

Jensen Farms of Holly, Colorado, cleaned its cantaloupes in a packing shed where the melons were washed and cooled. The farm owners insist the packing facility was cleaned regularly and don’t understand how the bacteria could have turned up on its equipment.

The farm’s owner, Eric Jensen, told CBS4 the listeria was found in the packing facility during an initial inspection, but did not turn up during a later environmental assessment. The FDA's report on the root cause of the outbreak will say that moisture played a key role in the spread of bacteria. The report also is expected to make recommendations on how to prevent it from happening in the future.

The root cause, when announced by the FDA, obviously will be a central factor in Jensen Farm cantaloupe litigation.

National food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., currently represents victims of this outbreak, including the families of two people who died. The firm, which previously has won multi-million dollar settlements for Listeria outbreak victims, continues to accept cases. Free consultations are available at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or leave your contact information and a lawyer will promptly respond to your inquiry.

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The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has issued guidance to consumers about the cantaloupe Listeria outbreak that has killed 23 people across the country, including five Coloradans.

Whole melons from Jensen Farms of Holly, Colorado, are to blame for the outbreak, which also has caused at least one miscarriage and sickened a least 116 people in 25 states. In Colorado, the five who died and 34 who were sickened were from Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Denver, Douglas, El Paso, Larimer, Montezuma, and Weld counties. These people range in age from the 30s to the 90s, with an average age of 75 years. The majority of patients are female.

Colorado cantaloupe lawsuit information and free case consultations are available by calling national food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or leave your contact information online and a Listeria lawyer will call you.

Highlights from the Colorado state Pdf on listeriosis from cantaloupe:

Can I remove Listeria by washing my cantaloupe?

It is not clear if washing cantaloupe would remove all Listeria monocytogenes that could potentially be on the surface. It is also possible that Listeria may be on the inside of the cantaloupe.

Can Listeria infection be treated? 

Antibiotics given promptly can cure the illness and prevent infection of the fetus in pregnant women. Even with prompt treatment, some Listeria infections result in death. This is particularly likely in older adults and in people with other serious medical problems.

What do I do if I think I am infected with Listeria?

If you have symptoms, you should immediately consult with a health care provider.

What food item is causing the outbreak?

Investigation findings have indicated that cantaloupe produced by Jensen Farms is the source of Listeria causing the outbreak. Jensen Farms cantaloupe was marketed as “Rocky Ford” cantaloupe and may or may not have a sticker identifying them as Jensen Farms cantaloupes.

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Kansas Listeria lawsuit cases are a certainty in response to the cantaloupe outbreak that has become the deadliest foodborne illness outbreak in more than 25 years. In Kansas alone, two people have died and seven have been sickened. Nearly everyone infected has been hospitalized.

Speaking in Lawrence, Kansas, this week, U.S. Deputy Secretary for Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan said the Jensen Farms cantaloupe Listeria outbreak has reaffirmed the government's resolve to undergrid our food system "so that no one has to wonder when they put their fork in their mouth if there is a bad outcome.''

The FDA, not USDA, is at the forefront of the investigation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but Merrigan said "we're all concerned about the cantaloupe.''

National food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., represents victims in this 25-state outbreak and continues to accept new cases for litigation. The families of two people who have died are among the firm's clients and the legal team at PritzkerOlsen is building on the lead positiion it established for claimants in the last big U.S. Listeria outbreak: 54 illnesses, 8 deaths and three fetal deaths in nine states associated with contaminated turkey deli meat in 2002.

Although Listeria tends to infect fewer people than other human pathogens, it is typically deadlier and inordinately affects the elderly, newborns, pregnant women and anyone with a weakened immune system. People can develop meningitis from this organism and in this outbreak the CDC already has confirmed a miscarriage.

A good Listeria lawyer will know how to lay the proper foundation for the largest recovery possible -- one that will ensure coverage not just for hospital bills but pain and suffering and future harms that include loss of income and many other considerations. PritzkerOlsen is one of the very few legal groups in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation and our attorneys have collected multi-million dollar settlements in the most complicated Listeria death cases, including fetal deaths. For a free case consultation, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or leave your contact information and a lawyer from our firm will call you.

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In this week's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), the CDC reports 9 cases of listeriosis in the United States for  week ending October 8, 2011 (40th Week) and a total of 548 cases as of October 8 for 2011. The cases reported are as follows:

NY (1), OH (1), NC (1), FL (2), AL (1), TX (1), WA (1), CA (1).

The MMWR summary does not indicate whether these cases are part of the listeriosis outbreak linked to Jensen Farms cantaloupe, although the CDC has updated its numbers for that outbreak:

• Persons infected with any of the four outbreak-associated strains of Listeria monocytogenes have been reported to CDC from 25 states.  All illnesses started on or after July 31, 2011. The number of infected persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), California (1), Colorado (34), Idaho (1), Illinois (1), Indiana (3), Iowa (1), Kansas (7), Louisiana (2), Maryland (1), Missouri (4), Montana (1), Nebraska (6), New Mexico (13), New York (1), North Dakota (1), Oklahoma (11), Oregon (1), South Dakota (1), Texas (17), Virginia (1), West Virginia (1), Wisconsin (2), and Wyoming (3). 
• Twenty-three deaths have been reported: 5 in Colorado, 1 in Indiana, 2 in Kansas, 2 in Louisiana, 1 in Maryland, 1 in Missouri, 1 in Nebraska, 5 in New Mexico, 1 in New York, 1 in Oklahoma, 2 in Texas, and 1 in Wyoming. In addition, one woman pregnant at the time of illness had a miscarriage.

Our attorneys are representing listeriosis victims and are available for a free consultation.

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CDC's latest guide to the Colorado Cantaloupe Listeria outbreak confirms that 23 people have died, another life has been lost to miscarriage and 116 persons all together have been infected by strains of Listeria linked to Jensen Farms cantaloupes.

The numbers are expected to grow through the end of October because listeriosis can develop two months after a person eats contaminated food. Jensen Farms of Granada, Colorado, was actively selling its melons until shortly before its recall was announced September 14. 

Cantaloupe lawsuit information from national Listeria law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., is available in free case consultations at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or leave your contact information and a lawyer will call you. Our firm currently represents the families of two people who have died of Listeria poisoning in this outbreak. In a previous foodborne outbreak of listeriosis, our lawyers gained a pair of multi-million dollar settlements and took a leadership role in the associated litigation involving others. 

On October 12, 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notified the public of more deaths and illnesses from the Jensen cantaloupe outbreak.

• Four outbreak strains of Listeria monocytogenes have been reported from 25 states. 
• Colorado has 5 deaths and 34 illnesses.
• New Mexico has 5 deaths and 13 illnesses.
• Texas has 2 deaths and 17 illnesses.
• Kansas has 2 deaths and 7 illnesses.
• Louisiana has 2 deaths, both newly confirmed.

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Bernillo County, New Mexico has been hard hit by the cantaloupe Listeria outbreak.Of the 13 New Mexico residents who contracted listeriosis from eating tainted cantaloupe, five have died. Two of the fatalities and some of the other illnesses occurred in Bernillo County, a central New Mexico county that includes Albuquerque.

The other fatalities in New Mexico occurred in Curry, McKinley and Lea counties, the other illnesses occurred in Chaves, Otero, De Baca, and Valencia counties. The victims range in age from the 43 to 96 and include seven men and six women.

Nationwide, the outbreak has stricken 109 people in 24 states according to the latest update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Health officials have identified the source as Rocky Ford cantaloupes grown on Jensen Farms in southeastern Colo.

The tainted melons were shipped to 24 states from July 29- September 10. Although Jensen Farms issued a recall on September 14, the CDC expected the number of illnesses to increase due to the long incubation period that is possible with listeriosis. In some instances, it take more than two months after ingesting the bacteria before the onset of symptoms occurs.

Listeriosis is a serious, sometimes fatal infection that is caused by eating food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The disease primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women, and newborns. 

PritzkerOlsen a national food safety law firm, is representing families who are grappling with the devastating effects of this outbreak. Free case consultations are available to those who phone 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or submit our free consultation form.

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A Louisiana woman stricken by Listeria shortly after Jensen Farms of Colorado recalled millions of Rocky Ford cantaloupes has died at the age of 81. Tests have confirmed that her death in a Shreveport hospital was caused by the same identical strain of Listeria that infected Jensen cantaloupes.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of another Louisiana resident that might be due to Listeria," said Dr. Jimmy Guidry, Louisiana State Health Officer. The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals is still investigating the Listeria-linked death last weekend from Baton Rouge to determine whether the strain of Listeria she had could be connected to recalled cantaloupe. 

The announcement came one day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed 21 cantaloupe Listeria outbreak deaths in 11 other states. The tally for illnesses in the outbreak is 109 in 24 states. The there has been at least one miscarriage.

National food safety lawyer Fred Pritzker is once again representing families left behind in fatal cases of listeriosis. In the country's last major Listeria outbreak in 2002, Pritzker was lead counsel in the litigation of a number of cases. Firm lawyers have collected millions on behalf of Listeriosis victims, including the largest individual recoveries ever obtained: $3,500,000 for a family who lost unborn twins and $2,700,000 for the family of an 81-year-old man who died after spending more than 300 days in the hospital.

Free case consultations in the current cantaloupe Listeria outbreak can be conducted by phoning 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or leave your contact information and a lawyer will call you.

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The cantaloupe Listeria outbreak has sickened more people in Colorado than any other state. At least 32 people have contracted listeriosis since the outbreak began in August, five of them have died.

Just three counties account for half of all the listeriosis cases confirmed as part of this outbreak. Arapahoe, Denver and El Paso counties have a total of 16 victims, six in Arapahoe and five each in Denver and El Paso counties.

The outbreak, which has stricken 109 people in 24 states according to the latest update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has been linked to Rocky Ford cantaloupes grown on Jensen Farms in southeastern Colo.

The tainted melons were shipped to 24 states from July 29- September 10. Although Jensen Farms issued a recall on September 14, the CDC expected the number of illnesses to increase due to the long incubation period that is possible with listerioisis. In some instances, it take more than two months after ingesting the bacteria before the onset of symptoms occurs.

Listeriosis is a serious sometimes life threatening infection that is caused by eating food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.The disease primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women, and newborns. 

Symptoms include: fever, muscle aches, diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. If you think you have listeriosis, see a doctor immediately. If you have legal questions about an illness associated with this outbreak, contact the food safety experts at the law firm of PritzkerOlsen P.A. 

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Between 15 and 20 percent of the U.S. population falls into a group considered to be at increased risk of contracting foodborne illness, according to a paper by British researchers Barbara M. Lund and Sarah J. O'Brien published in the journal Foodborne Pathogens and Disease.

This group includes: pregnant women, infants, the elderly, diabetics, and those with compromised immune systems, excessive iron in their blood or kidney and liver disease, according to the paper. Malnutrition and the use of antacids can also increase susceptibility.

The cantaloupe listeria outbreak is consistent with those findings. So far, 109 people in 23 states have been stricken with listeriosis linked to Rocky Ford cantaloupes from Jensen Farms in Holly, Colo., according to the latest update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Twenty-one deaths from listeriosis have been reported: 5 in Colorado, 1 in Indiana, 2 in Kansas, 1 in Maryland, 1 in Missouri, 1 in Nebraska, 5 in New Mexico, 1 in New York, 1 in Oklahoma, 2 in Texas, and 1 in Wyoming. In addition, one woman pregnant at the time of illness had a miscarriage.

Most of the victims of this outbreak are over 60, the median age 77. Three of the victims were pregnant women, and one miscarriage has been reported. The outcome of the other two pregnancies is being monitored, according to the CDC.

Both the CDC and the researchers of the paper recommend that the diets for vulnerable people should exclude higher-risk foods.

Sources:
http://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/cantaloupes-jensen-farms/100711/index.html
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/fpd.2011.0860 

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The ongoing cantaloupe Listeria outbreak has sickened at least 100 people in 20 states, 18 of whom have died according to the latest information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

For many of these victims, life seemed to change in an instant. After the onset of symptoms, listeriosis can quickly become serious and severe, life threatening conditions including blood poisoning and meningitis can occur.

Food safety attorneys Brendan Flaherty and Fred Pritzker of PritzkerOlsen P.A., represented the family of a man who died as a result of eating food contaminated with Listeria.

Brendan Flaherty looks back on the case:

You represented the family of a man killed in the last major Listeria outbreak?
Yes, I spent over two years working almost exclusively on cases from that Listeria outbreak, including for the family of the gentlemen who died.

At the time, it was considered one of the nation’s largest and deadliest listeriosis outbreaks ever. There were 42 confirmed cases and seven deaths.

What happened to your client?
Listeria tends to infect the elderly and pregnant women. The man who died in that outbreak was 85 at the time he contracted listeriosis. His body simply could not fight off the infection. The horrible part of the case was that the man went from a robust, very active retiree and grandfather to an absolutely gaunt and infirm human being. He was hospitalized for almost 400 days before passing away. His slow and painful death was just agonizing for his family.

More than a year in the hospital?
Yes. Soon after he developed his initial symptoms, he was admitted to the hospital and doctors discovered he had listeria meningitis, a condition where the bacteria infects the brain and spinal cord. He never returned to his home or family. For the next 13 months, he was either in a hospital or nursing home. He lost neurologic function to the extent he needed a ventilator and a feeding tube. He battled dozens of complications before succumbing to the massive, lethal infection.

For people who have not been through it or seen, it is impossible to describe the everyday struggle of that length of hospital stay. There is no privacy, little true rest and a never-ending routine of tests, samples and procedures. A brutally difficult existence.

What happened with the case?
It was a complex, very difficult case to prove because, in contrast to the cantaloupe outbreak where a single producer has been implicated, that outbreak was narrowed down to two producers. We worked closely with world class Listeria experts including epidemiologists, microbiologists and infectious disease experts to pinpoint the source of our clients’ infections. We gathered and presented a huge amount of evidence and ended up winning a confidential seven figure settlement for the family.

As a result of our work on that case, we learned a great deal about Listeria and what food producers should do to prevent outbreaks. I sincerely believed that we would not see another Listeria outbreak as big as the current cantaloupe outbreak but here we are. We are again representing families who have recently lost loved ones to Listeria. It is heartbreaking to see but we will do our absolute best to get them fair compensation and to expose the problems with food production that lead to this outbreak. I really hope that the work we are doing for the families will prevent the next outbreak.

Attorney Brendan Flaherty can be reached at 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or by submitting our free consultation form. He is representing victims and families in the Listeria outbreak linked to Jensen Farms cantaloupe.

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Texas, Colorado, New Mexico and Oklahoma are the worst-hit states in the Jensen Farms cantaloupe Listeria outbreak. Combined, those states have 68 percent of the illnesses and 72 percent of the Listeria deaths in an outbreak that remains active.

In Texas, for example, public health officials in El Paso this week identified a  77-year-old woman as a new victim. She was hospitalized, but is recovering at home. It is the second elderly Listeria case patient linked to the cantaloupe outbreak from El Paso.

Lawsuits against Jensen Farms of Granada, Colorado, seek monetary recoveries for harms related to all deaths and illnesses in this outbreak. Legally speaking, these cases are complex and victims should retain a Listeria lawyer who can win an optimum claim against the parties responsible for poisoning so many people via whole cantaloupes.

Our food safety attorneys have collected millions on behalf of listeriosis victims, including $3.5 million for a couple who lost unborn twins and $2.7 million for the family of an 81-year-old man who died. There have only been a handful of major listeriosis outbreaks in the United States. The last one was in 2002, and our attorneys served as lead counsel on behalf of a number of outbreak victims and their families.

In this current outbreak, national food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., is continuing to be reached by victims and will accept new cases at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or send your contact information online and an attorney will call you.

October 2011 Update on Jensen Cantaloupe Listeria Litigation: 

Foods can become infected with listeria through several means including contaminated water, manure or contaminated biosolids used for fertilizer or through the many different stages that the food is handled or washed. Though officials have traced the infected cantaloupes to Rocky Ford-brand cantaloupes from Jensen Farms in Colorado, the exact cause remains under investigation. Still, scientists from the FDA and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are confident in link to the millions of cantaloupes harvested in August and early September from Jensen Farms.

The company announced its recall September 14. Since then the CDC has published 6 updates with the latest information showing 18 deaths and 100 illnesses in 20 states. Colorado has 30 illnesses and five deaths. Texas has 14 illnesses and two deaths. Oklahoma has 11 illnesses and one death. New Mexico has 13 illnesses and five deaths. 

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Lawsuits involving listeriosis are incredibly complex and require skill and experience that few lawyers possess. Our food safety attorneys have collected millions on behalf of listeriosis victims, including $3,500,000 for a family who lost unborn twins and $2,700,000 for the family of an 81-year-old man who died.

Litigation Preparation for Listeriosis Outbreak Lawsuits

There have only been a handful of major listeriosis outbreaks in the United States. The last one was in 2002, and our attorneys served as lead counsel on behalf of a number of outbreak victims and their families. The following information describes some of the firm’s work on behalf of its clients.

Our attorneys first became involved in representing victims of the 2002 Northeast United States Listeria outbreak in December 2002, shortly after the outbreak was identified but long before the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued its final report linking this outbreak to the two defendants in this case.

After several months of investigating these outbreak cases, after ruling out several potential defendants, and after identifying and understanding the damage claims, settlement negotiations were commenced.

Neither of the defendants to which the settlement demand was addressed acknowledged any responsibility for the outbreak and both refused to enter into any settlement negotiations. As a result, the cases were placed in suit on May 26, 2004, and August 10, 2004, respectively.

Both corporate defendants were represented by large and prestigious firms that devoted substantial resources to defending these claims.

After discovery commenced, more than 107,000 documents were produced by the defendants. In addition, Pritzker attorneys and staff pursued FOIA requests at every level of government; found and retained media coverage related to the defendants and the outbreak; obtained industry publications related to Listeria dating to the 1990s; and catalogued hundreds of scientific articles related to Listeria, genetic subtyping, foodborne illness and food industry sanitation.

One of the defendants had a sophisticated computer and email network on which thousands of potentially relevant email messages and metadata were stored. Plaintiffs determined that extensive e-discovery was necessary and, accordingly, retained technical consultants and extensively negotiated E-discovery terms with the defendant. Through the most sophisticated E-discovery methods available and in coordination with one of the companion federal plaintiff firms, this data was eventually extracted, imaged and added to the above-described databases where, again, it was reviewed, coded and indexed.

The review of these documents led to additional detailed discovery requests, a series of highly contentious discovery issues and numerous motions to compel discovery. These motions included an exhaustively briefed issue related to one defendant’s assertion of the “self-critical analysis” privilege on a crucial document. Plaintiffs ultimately prevailed on that issue.

The science of listeriosis infections in general and the role of science in this particular outbreak significantly complicated these cases. Listeria monocytogenes is ubiquitous in nature. Thus, it is critical to genetically identify the outbreak-causing strain and determine its source. Doing so requires the use of highly technical and sophisticated scientific processes involving genetics, microbiology and epidemiology, among others. The body of knowledge involving these subjects is dense, arcane and constantly evolving. It required attorneys at our firm to spend hundreds of hours learning and then partially mastering the scientific principles involved. For example, the process of differentiating strains of Listeria monocytogenes is accomplished by serotyping, ribotyping, use of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (using two, three or more enzymes and enzyme combinations), MLST, MVLST and a host of other techniques.

Microbiology is only one component of the process necessary to identify the source of an outbreak. The other involves complex foodborne illness epidemiology which was very much an issue in this case. It was an issue because a) the rare outbreak strain was found in two plants, not one as is usually the case; b) the outbreak strain was not detected in one defendant’s product; c) it is difficult for outbreak victims to identify the source of the food they ate (given the long incubation period and fungible nature of the food products involved); and d) the epidemiological methods employed by the CDC in conducting its outbreak investigation were bitterly contested by the defendants.

This, in turn, required an extensive learning curve in the science of epidemiology and extensive study of past outbreaks in order to understand how and whether the CDC’s investigation of this outbreak differed from previous outbreaks. This was particularly important since federal law prohibits any contact with or testimony from CDC personnel involved in the underlying outbreak investigation.

To prove their case, the firm had to retain the following experts: 1) microbiologist and expert in MVLST testing, 2) microbiologist and an expert in PFGE testing, 3) animal scientist and plant sanitation expert, 4) sanitarian and plant safety expert, 5) medical epidemiologist, 6) infectious disease expert, 7) maternal and fetal medicine expert, 8) hospitalist and conscious pain and suffering expert, 9) cardiologist, 10) economist, and 11) an internist.

Issues of fault involving the defendants turned on their knowledge of and compliance with USDA regulations involving food sanitation and safety. This is a complex body of evolving law and regulations that were particularly in flux before and during the outbreak in question.

Not long before the outbreak, the USDA went from an inspector-driven system of plant inspection to one governed by plant-initiated and plant-specific controls based on principles of HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, SSOPs (Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures) and GMPs (Good Manufacturing Practices). Developing an understanding of these regulatory schemes was necessary in order to evaluate the conduct of the defendants, particularly with regard to the history of administrative enforcement at these plants in the months preceding the outbreak. For example, both plants were issued a number of NRs (non-compliance reports) by the United States Department of Agriculture – Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) in the run up to the outbreak. Following the outbreak investigation, both plants were issued the most severe administrative sanction, Notice of Intended Enforcement (NOIE). Learning and understanding this body of administrative law and enforcement was critical in being able to assess and prove fault on the part of both defendants.

This litigation involved taking no fewer than 32 liability and damages depositions. The vast majority of these depositions involved highly technical subject matter and extensive preparation. The vast majority of the depositions took several hours apiece and some took place over the course of more than one day. All together, there were several thousand pages of deposition transcripts and hundreds of exhibits.

Plaintiffs were not able to prove with certainty which of the defendants’ products caused each plaintiff’s case of listeriosis. Difficulty with this crucial element required successful application of the rarely used doctrine of alternative liability. This crucial issue heightened the risk involved in this litigation and required rock-solid world-class science. Our summary judgment brief and reply briefs, together with our statement of facts and exhibits demonstrates the high quality of our advocacy and research on this issue. Indeed, our discovery and deposition strategy was geared toward successful resolution of this key issue. Further evidence of this is the fact that within a few days of the court’s ruling in favor of the plaintiffs on this issue, the cases settled.

In an effort to assure application of alternative liability in the state cases and to prepare for the summary judgment briefing, Pritzker attorneys significantly participated in the preparation of the motion for summary judgment in the federal cases; motions in limine in the federal cases; and, because of our expertise in the microbiology and epidemiology of Listeria, helped draft and respond to Daubert motions in the federal cases.

In addition to the complexities of proving liability for the outbreak, one of the firm’s cases involved a highly technical issue involving medical causation. That issue involved whether one or both of the fetal twins died from the effects of maternal listeriosis or whether their deaths were attributable to the mother’s age, inherent risks of twin births, use of fertility treatment or the presence of placenta previa (which was unquestionably not due to listeriosis). Both defendants retained highly qualified maternal-fetal experts who opined that listeriosis did not cause the fetal twins’ deaths, particularly the second twin who died approximately two months after the mother’s listeriosis was first diagnosed. Understanding these issues and effectively combating them required considerable time and research because there were so many factors at play and the subject of fetal twin demise due to listeriosis is so rare.

This case settled approximately six weeks before trial. Since the trial would have involved scores of witnesses, hundreds of exhibits, and dealt with material that was complex and difficult to present to a jury, an enormous amount of time was spent preparing for trial by the time the cases settled. Our attorneys and staff had contacted numerous witnesses about trial appearances, issued subpoenas for trial, and prepared key family members for trial. We had also begun trial planning with a well-known jury consultant with the National Jury Project who was preparing to test themes, conduct a mock jury and obtain demographic data. Until the case was finally settled, attorneys Fred Pritzker and Brendan Flaherty worked on this case approximately 12 hours per day and had been doing so for several weeks.

Cantaloupe Outbreak Attorneys: Free Consultation

Our attorneys are now investigating listeriosis personal injury and wrongful death cases that may be part of the Listeria outbreak linked to cantaloupe grown in Colorado by Jensen Farms that has sickened at least 100 in 20 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  The number of infected persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Arkansas (1) California (1), Colorado (30), Idaho (1), Illinois (1), Indiana (2), Kansas (7), Maryland (1), Missouri (3), Montana (1), Nebraska (6), New Mexico (13), North Dakota (1), Oklahoma (11), Texas (14), Virginia (1), West Virginia (1), Wisconsin (2), and Wyoming (2).

Eighteen deaths have been reported: 5 in Colorado, 2 in Kansas, 1 in Maryland, 1 in Missouri, 1 in Nebraska, 5 in New Mexico, 1 in Oklahoma, and 2 in Texas.

This cantaloupe outbreak is proving to be the deadliest foodborne outbreak in the U.S. in more than a decade.

Our attorneys represent Listeria victims nationwide. To contact them regarding a cantaloupe lawsuit against Jensen Farms and others, please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit our free consultation form. 

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A woman from Northwest Iowa infected with the cantaloupe outbreak strain of Listeria has suffered a miscarriage -- the first such loss of life reported by public health officials during the current outbreak. The sobering announcement came from officials at the Iowa Department of Public Health. They said the woman's illness is their state's first confirmed case of listeriosis linked to Jensen Farms cantaloupe.

Nationwide, at least 101 people in 21 states have been sickened and 18 people have died. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) previously acknowledged that two other pregnancies were being closely monitored because of listeriosis. All three pregnant women had eaten cantaloupe.

Listeria poisoning has always carried the threat of stillbirth and miscarriage. Pregnant women and the elderly are most at risk for invasive illness from the pathogen. Food safety lawyer Fred Pritzker currently represents the families of two Listeria cantaloupe victims who died. In a previous outbreak, he represented a couple who not only lost a pregnancy to listeriosis, but also lost the abilitiy to have more children. Litigation sprearheaded by Pritzker resulted in a multi-million dollar settlement.

Pregnant women typically experience only a mild, flu-like illness when they are infected with Listeria. However, the bacteria can cause neo-natal illness capable of ending the pregnancy. If you are pregnant and suspect that Rocky Ford cantaloupe from Colorado has made you ill, see a doctor immediately for testing.

Pritzker and his Listeria law team are continuing to accept additional cases from this outbreak for a Jensen Farms lawsuit. Free consultations are available at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or a lawyer will respond to your contact information. Our law firm is one of the very few in the nation practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation and Mr. Pritzker has been a resource to the media and others covering what has become one of the most deadly food poisoning outbreaks in U.S. history.

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Five more Listeria deaths have been recorded in the Jensen Farms cantaloupe Listeria outbreak that has now killed 18 people and sickened 100 in 20 states. National food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., is continuing to accept new cases for a Listeria cantaloupe lawsuit. 

Colorado's Listeria death toll grew from two to five since September 27, the last time an official count was announced by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In addition, the CDC said 30 Coloradans have been sickened, 15 more than were reported ill in the last report. Colorado is the epicenter of this outbreak because Jensen Farms is located in Granada, Colorado, and state health officials were the first to scientifically link the outbreak to Jensen cantaloupes. The whole melons were distributed to at least 24 states before all were recalled on September 14.

Attorneys at Pritzker Olsen are offering free case consultations to all victims of this outbreak. Call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or leave your contact information and a Listeria lawyer will call you. Our firm currently represents the families of two people in different states who died from their infections. As one of the few U.S. law firms practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation, we have collected millions for victims. That includes some of the largest ever settlements in Listeria cases. 

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Scientists studying the ongoing cantaloupe Listeria outbreak linked to Jensen Farms Rocky Ford whole melons have noted several unusual features that make it the third deadliest foodborne illness outbreak in U.S. history.

1. This is the first listeriosis outbreak associated with melon. Cantaloupe, in particular, has been linked in the past to outbreaks of Salmonella, Campylobacter and E. coli, but not Listeria. The rough skins can trap bacteria and one melon contaminated with Listeria can spread to all others in a shipment. Cross-contamination also can occur during washing sequences.
2. Four widely differing DNA fingerprints and two types of Listeria (1/2a and 1/2b) have been associated with the outbreak.
3. This outbreak is unusually large; only two U.S. listeriosis outbreaks, one associated with frankfurters (108 cases) and one with Mexican-style cheese (142), have had more cases. The latest CDC update on the cantaloupe outbreak notes 84 cases in 19 states, but that is certain to grow as lab tests confirm latent cases. Up to 2 months can elapse between eating contaminated food and developing listeriosis. 
4. This outbreak has the highest number of deaths -- 15 confirmed deaths -- of any U.S. foodborne outbreak since a listeriosis outbreak in 1998. In recent times, it has surpassed the nine deaths caused by the peanut butter and peanut products Salmonella outbreak detected in late 2008. Nine people died in that outbreak.

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A Baton Rouge, Louisiana, woman who died from Listeria infection may be yet another fatal victim of the Jensen Farms Frontera listeriosis outbreak.

The deceased elderly woman was from East Baton Rouge Parish and state health officials are in the midst of comparing the DNA fingerprint of the bacteria found in her body to the outbreak strain of Listeria found in cantaloupes grown by Jensen Farms of Holly, Colorado. Family members told authorities the woman had eaten cantaloupe two to three weeks before she became ill.

Jensen Farms Rocky Ford cantaloupes, distributed by Frontera, have been linked conclusively to 15 deaths and at least 84 illnesses in 19 states. National food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., represents victims of the outbreak, including families of two people who died. Our firm has recorded some of the largest Listeria lawsuit settlements in the country and we continue to offer free consultations for a Jensen Farms lawsuit. Call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or leave your contact information and a lawyer will call you. 

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals said the woman was 87.  Lance and Thad Hayes wrote in an e-mail sent to The Associated Press that their mother, Elaine F. Babcock, died six days after falling ill.  "We realize the public health interest in understanding what caused the infection, and will provide any relevant information as we learn it,'' they wrote.

Louisiana is one of the states where Jensen Farms cantaloupe were shipped. Unofficially, the recall has been met because any unusued cantaloupe shipped before the recall was announced on September 14 would be rotten by now.  

 Consumers are still urged to be wary, however, because illness from the pathogen can take as long as seven weeks to present itself in the way of Listeria symptoms.

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National food safety lawyer Fred Pritzker draws from years of experience in this thoughtful conversation about Listeria litigation in the Jensen Farms cantaloupe outbreak that has killed at least 15 people and sickened 84 in 19 states. Reporter Andrew Mach does an excellent job. Here are excerpts from his story in the Christian Science Monitor. 

It wasn’t long after officials linked a listeria outbreak with cantaloupe from a Colorado farm that wrongful-death and personal-injury lawsuits began to be filed.

The outbreak, which is the deadliest food crisis in more than a decade, has killed at least 15 people and sickened 84 others in 19 states. Earlier this month, after the listeria link was made, Jensen Farms in Holly, Colo., issued a voluntary recall of its Rocky Ford brand of cantaloupes.

Now, victims and families of victims in Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas have filed at least five lawsuits against Jensen Farms. One lawsuit is also against Wal-Mart for allegedly being among the grocery stores selling the cantaloupe in question.

However, it’s hardly a given that the plaintiffs – who have already incurred considerable expenses because of their ordeal – will receive the compensation that lawyers tell them they deserve. This could be especially true because Jensen Farms is a local grower, a third-generation family farm, with limited capital.

Jensen Farms is not a major corporation that has significant financial assets,” says Fred Pritzker, a Minneapolis-based attorney specializing in food-poisoning cases who is representing two victims in Illinois and New York. “When you factor in the severity of the illness and the number of deaths and illnesses that will be attributed to this in the days and weeks to come, you just know they don’t have nearly enough assets to fully compensate them.”

Especially in cases involving small businesses, it’s common for plaintiffs to pursue all available avenues. “If other parties involved bear some of the responsibility, we look to them to supplement the pool of money that is available to the victims,” Pritzker says. 

It’s not fair that the rest of the industry ends up paying,” he says, “but it’s a lot less fair for somebody who’s injured by that industry.”

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Below is an article from the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Review (MMWR) that provides a good explanation of the listeriosis outbreak linked to Jensen Farms cantaloupe grown in Colorado:

Listeriosis is caused by Listeria monocytogenes, a gram-positive bacillus common in the environment and acquired by humans primarily through consumption of contaminated food. Infection causes a spectrum of illness, ranging from febrile gastroenteritis to invasive disease, including sepsis and meningoencephalitis. Invasive listeriosis occurs predominantly in older adults and persons with impaired immune systems. Listeriosis in pregnant women is typically a mild "flu-like" illness, but can result in fetal loss, premature labor, or neonatal infection. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics.

On September 2, 2011, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) notified CDC of seven cases of listeriosis reported since August 28. On average, Colorado reports two cases of listeriosis annually in August. By September 6, all seven Colorado patients interviewed with the Listeria Initiative* questionnaire reported eating cantaloupe in the month before illness began, and three reported eating cantaloupe marketed as "Rocky Ford."

A case was defined as illness with one of the outbreak strains isolated on or after August 1. Outbreak strains initially were defined as 1) clinical isolates of L. monocytogenes with specimen collection dates in August 2) with a two-enzyme, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) pattern combination that occurred in two or more persons and 3) that matched any of the three pattern combinations found among Colorado residents in August. Analysis of Listeria Initiative data comparing the first 19 outbreak-associated cases in 2011 with 85 cases among persons aged ≥65 years with sporadic listeriosis identified during August of the years 2004--2010 indicated that cantaloupe consumption was strongly associated with illness caused by the outbreak strains: 19 of 19 (100%) versus 54 of 85 (64%); (odds ratio = 14.9; 95% CI = 2.4--∞). Initial tracebacks of cantaloupe purchased by patients converged on Jensen Farms in Colorado.

After cantaloupe was implicated, PulseNet, the national molecular subtyping network for foodborne bacterial disease surveillance, detected a multistate cluster with a fourth PFGE pattern combination; a sample of cantaloupe collected from the implicated farm yielded L. monocytogenes with this pattern, and interviews with patients revealed that most had consumed cantaloupe. Isolates with this pattern were then also considered to be among the outbreak strains. By September 29, 84 cases with one of the four outbreak PFGE pattern combinations had been reported from 19 states†, including 83 with information on the date of illness onset.

Among the patients, 88% were aged ≥60 years (range: 35--96 years); 55% were female, and two were pregnant. Fifteen deaths were reported. Ninety-two percent (57 of 62 with information on food consumption) reported eating cantaloupe in the month before illness began. All four outbreak strains of L. monocytogenes were isolated from whole and cut cantaloupe samples from patients' homes or from samples of Jensen Farms cantaloupe collected from grocery stores and the farm. On September 14, the farm issued a voluntary recall of its cantaloupe.

This outbreak has several unusual features. First, this is the first listeriosis outbreak associated with melon. Second, four widely differing PFGE pattern combinations and two serotypes (1/2a and 1/2b) have been associated with the outbreak. Third, this outbreak is unusually large; only two U.S. listeriosis outbreaks, one associated with frankfurters (108 cases) and one with Mexican-style cheese (142), have had more cases (1,2). Additional cases likely will be reported because of the long incubation period (usually 1--3 weeks, range: 3--70 days) and the time needed for diagnosis and confirmation. Fourth, this outbreak has the highest number of deaths of any U.S. foodborne outbreak since a listeriosis outbreak in 1998 (1).

CDC recommends that persons do not eat cantaloupes from Jensen Farms. This recommendation is especially important for persons at greater risk for listeriosis, including older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women. Not all of the recalled cantaloupes are individually labeled with stickers to indicate production by Jensen Farms. Consumers should consult the retailer or discard any cantaloupe of uncertain origin. Recommendations for preventing listeriosis from other foods are available at http://www.cdc.gov/listeria.

Reported by

Shaun Cosgrove, Alicia Cronquist, Colorado Dept of Public Health and Environment. Gail Wright, Boulder County Public Health. Tista Ghosh, Richard Vogt, Tri-County Health Department. Paul Teitell, Investigations Br, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Denver District. Allen Gelfius, Charlotte Spires, Tracy Duvernoy, Sheila Merriweather, FDA Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation (CORE) Network. Molly Freeman, Patricia M. Griffin, Kelly A. Jackson, Lavin A. Joseph, Barbara E. Mahon, Karen Neil, Benjamin J. Silk, Cheryl Tarr, Robert Tauxe, Eija Trees, Div of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases; Mam Ibraheem, Maho Imanishi, Neena Jain, Jeffrey McCollum, Katherine A. O'Connor, EIS officers, CDC. Corresponding contributor: Kelly A. Jackson, gqv8@cdc.gov, 404-639-4603.

Acknowledgments

State and local health departments in the 19 states with cases.

References

1. Mead, PS, Dunne EF, Graves L, et al. Nationwide outbreak of listeriosis due to contaminated meat. Epidemiol Infect 2006;134:744--51.

2. Linnan, MJ, Mascola L, Lou

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Two pregnant women are victims in the Jensen Farms cantaloupe Listeria outbreak that has sickened at least 84 people in 19 states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced .

The pregnancies are being closely monitored because listeriosis brings the threat of stillbirth and miscarriage -- an especially devastating twist from this type of food poisoning. Food safety lawyer Fred Pritzker, who represents the survivors of two deceased  Listeria victims in New York and Illinois, previously represented a couple who not only lost a pregnancy to listeriosis, but also lost the abilitiy to have more children due to complications from the illness. Litigation resulted in a multi-million dollar settlement.

Pregnant women typically experience only a mild, flu-like illness when they are infected with Listeria. However, the bacteria can cause neo-natal illness capable of ending the pregnancy. If you are pregnant and suspect that Rocky Ford cantaloupe from Colorado has made you ill, see a doctor immediately for testing.

CDC's disclosure of the two pregnancies coincided with an agency update that at least 15 people have died and 84 have been sickened in 19 states. Colorado, New Mexico and Texas are among the most affected of states. New Mexico has 5 of the 15 total deaths recorded so far in the outhreak by CDC. Nearly all victims have been hospitalized at one point in their illness.

Jensen Farms of Holly, Colorado, recalled millions of tainted cantaloupes on September 14. Given the fruit's limited shelf life, it's safe to assume it is no longer in stores. But officials expect the death toll and illness count to keep rising because the first symptoms might take two months to develop after eating.

Pritzker and his Listeria law team are continuing to accept additional cases from this outbreak for a Jensen Farms lawsuit. Free consultations are available at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or a lawyer will respond to your contact information. Our law firm is one of the very few in the nation practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation and Mr. Pritzker has been a resource to the media and others covering what has become one of the most deadly food poisoning outbreaks in years in the U.S.

Jensen Farms Frontera cantaloupe Listeria update October 1, 2011:

Fifteen deaths have been reported: 3 in Colorado, 1 in Kansas, 1 in Maryland, 1 in Missouri, 1 in Nebraska, 5 in New Mexico, 1 in Oklahoma, and 2 in Texas.

84 persons infected with any of the four outbreak-associated strains of Listeria monocytogenes have been reported to CDC from 19 states.  All illnesses started on or after July 31, 2011. The number of infected persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Arkansas (1) California (1), Colorado (17), Illinois (1), Indiana (2), Kansas (5), Maryland (1), Missouri (3), Montana (1), Nebraska (6), New Mexico (13), North Dakota (1), Oklahoma (11), Texas (14), Virginia (1), West Virginia (1), Wisconsin (2), and Wyoming (2).

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Idaho received a donated shipment of Jensen Farms cantaloupes in late August that went to senior centers, food banks and an elementary center. Now public health officials are investigating at least one Idaho Listeria illness -- a Jerome County woman in her 60s who contracted listeriosis in early September, possibly from cantaloupe. She was hospitalized, but has recovered.

Idaho would become the 19th state included in the Jensen Farms Frontera cantaloupe outbreak that has killed at least 16 people, sickened 72 and triggered a national warning from federal health officials for people not to eat Rocky Ford cantaloupes from Jensen of Holly, Colorado. If you're in doubt about the cantaloupe's origin,  throw it out.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare said  the melons were shipped from Jensen Farms to Select Express in Aberdeen. They were too ripe to be commercially sold, so Select Express donated the fruit weeks before it was recalled. Most of the donated melons have probably been eaten or disposed of by now. Still, health officials are warning people who think they might have some of the contaminated melons to throw them away. Those who ate the cantaloupe should continue to watch for Listeria symptoms and seek medical attention if they occur within 70 days.

A cantaloupe lawsuit will begin to address harms caused by this outbreak. National food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., currently represents survivors of two people who recently died from listeriosis and is accepting additional cases. Free consultations are available at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or by providing contact information online. A Listeria lawyer will call you. 

PritzkerOlsen founder and president Fred Pritzker has been a national leader in Listeria litigation, winning what are considered the country's largest multi-million dollar settlements in Listeria food poisoning lawsuits. He has been a resource to the media during this outbreak and has written his own commentary on why this crisis was preventable.

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This article was written by food safety attorney Fred Pritzker.

The current cantaloupe Listeria outbreak reminds me of Albert Einstein’s famous definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

Although we expect the cantaloupe we eat to be safe and healthy and to be produced, marketed and sold in a reasonable manner, it often isn’t. In fact, this outbreak, already one of the deadliest on record, is a showcase of bad policy and repeated mistakes that was as foreseeable as it was preventable.

Pundits and policy makers seem surprised that cantaloupe can harbor Listeria. They shouldn’t be. According to a 2006 study authored by epidemiologists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the period between 1984 and 2002 there were no fewer than twenty-three cantaloupe-associated outbreaks in which almost 1500 people were sickened. The pathogens involved in those prior outbreaks include Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. coli O157:H7 and norovirus. Given the nature of cantaloupe and how it is grown, adulteration from Listeria was just as likely as by any of the other pathogens in prior outbreaks.

The toll of illness and death from Listeria was also no surprise. Listeria is one of the most virulent foodborne pathogens. Every Listeria outbreak involves serious illness, often long hospitalizations and a high death rate.

Perhaps the saddest aspect of this outbreak is that although we know what food caused it and where that food came from (Jensen Farms in Colorado), people continue to get sick and die from it. Why?

The first reason is because neither Jensen Farms nor the federal and state governments charged with investigating the outbreak have released the names of retailers that sold the contaminated fruit. And the reason they haven’t released those names? Because they don’t really know where the cantaloupe was sold. And the reason they don’t know is because effective trace back technology and practices were not in place.

The second reason is because cantaloupe is often sold without labels, or previously affixed labels fell off. Consumers simply cannot tell by looking at a cantaloupe where it was grown or whether it contains life-threatening pathogens. An untold number of unsuspecting people will continue eating Jensen Farms cantaloupe because they cannot find out if their retailer sold it and cannot tell by looking at the fruit if was produced by Jensen Farms.

You would think that if a company sells a product capable of producing injury and death across the United States there should be a way to trace the distribution of that product. There is. But as this outbreak tragically illustrates, the technology and practices that would have stopped this outbreak long before now weren’t applied to fungible food products like this one.

It’s not hard to envision how this would work. Cantaloupes, like other types of fruits and vegetables, could be sold in inexpensive mesh bags. Attached to the bags would be sufficient information to allow regulators (and the public) to know the producer, shipper, sell by dates and any other information including the best practices for preparing and consuming the product. You could, for example, easily create a method by which a QR code is affixed to the fruit so that consumers can quickly scan it with a cell phone app and learn where it came from and whether it is implicated in an outbreak.

Labeling and traceback issues in foodborne illness outbreaks are as foreseeable as human illness from the consumption of cantaloupe. It is insane that more people will continue to get sick and die because we don’t learn from our failures and because we don’t apply the tools and policies that we know will work. 

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After the cantaloupe Listeria outbreak took on the grim mantle of “deadliest U.S. foodborne illness outbreak in more than a decade” this week, a Costco official told the New York Times that cantaloupe growers and shippers need better food safety practices.

“I don’t think the cantaloupe industry can continue on doing the very same thing and expecting a different result,” Craig Wilson, head of food safety for Costco, a Seattle-based warehouse retailer, told the New York Times. “It’s time for companies to get more aggressive. If they know this is going to happen, let’s step up and not let it happen.”

Costco would consider setting standards for how melons are grown, cleaned and handled, and requiring suppliers to demonstrate that melons are pathogen-free, he said in the story. He said the cantaloupe industry needs to be responsible for creating better food safety practices.

Stephen F. Patricio, a melon shipper and the chairman of the trade group California Cantaloupe Advisory Board, agreed saying sales of  California-grown cantaloupe have fallen even though melons from Jensen Farms in Holly, Colo. are the source of the outbreak.

California cantaloupes have never been the source of a foodborne illness outbreak, the trade group’s website claims. Still, Patricio says in the story, California growers suffer every time lax practices by other growers cause an outbreak. “The entire melon category needs to look at the best practices and research that’s been done by the California industry and others to best analyze their own risks,” Patricio told the New York Times. “Or we’re all going to continue to suffer.”

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 The cantaloupe Listeria outbreak is the deadliest outbreak of foodborne illness in the U.S. in more than a decade, according to federal officials who say more people are likely to be stricken by the Listeria infection that has already killed 13 people and sickened 59 others in 18 states.

 According to the most recent update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), onest of illness for the first of the 72 confirmed cases linked to the outbreak began on or after July 31, 2011.

The state totals for illness are as follows: California (1), Colorado (15), Florida (1), Illinois (1), Indiana (2), Kansas (5), Maryland (1), Missouri (1), Montana (1), Nebraska (6), New Mexico (10), North Dakota (1), Oklahoma (8), Texas (14), Virginia (1), West Virginia (1), Wisconsin (2), and Wyoming (1).

Deaths reported by state are as follows: Colorado (2), Kansas (1), Maryland (1), Missouri (1), Nebraska (1), New Mexico (4), Oklahoma (1), and Texas (2).

The outbreak has been linked to Rocky Ford cantaloupe melons grown on Jensen Farms, Holly, Colo., which began a voluntary recall of its melons on September 14, 2011.

The CDC recommends that people at high risk for listeriosis, including older adults, people with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women, do not eat Rocky Ford cantaloupes from Jensen Farms. Other consumers who want to reduce their risk of Listeria infection should not eat Rocky Ford cantaloupes from Jensen Farms, the CDC says.

Listeriosis is a serious, sometimes fatal infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The disease primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and newborns.Antibiotics given promptly can cure the illness and prevent infection of a fetus. However, even with prompt treatment, some Listeria infections result in death.

Symptoms of listeriosis can take as long as 70 day to appear after contaminated food is ingested. They include fever and muscle aches, often preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. In more severe cases, there can also be headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, according to the CDC.

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A 70-year-old Florida woman became ill after eating cantaloupes linked to an outbreak of Listeria, according to a Miami Herald story. Our attorneys are representing victims of this outbreak and their families in personal injury and wrongful death cases. Contact our Listeria lawyers for a free consultation regarding a cantaloupe lawsuit.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has confirmed that the Listeria strain is genetically linked to the outbreak associated with Rocky Ford cantaloupes grown on Jensen Farms in Holly, Colo., according to the story. The woman, who moved to Florida two weeks ago, ate the tainted cantaloupes while living in Alabama.

Since mid-August, the cantaloupe listeria outbreak has sickened 55 people in 14 states, eight of whom have died, according to a September 21 update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Listeriosis is a serious, sometimes fatal infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The disease primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and newborns. Antibiotics given promptly can cure the illness and prevent infection of a fetus. However, even with prompt treatment, some Listeria infections result in death.

Symptoms of listeriosis can take as long as 70 day to appear after contaminated food is ingested. They include fever and muscle aches, often preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. In more severe cases, there can also be headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, according to the CDC.

News Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/09/26/2426187/florida-reports-illness-linked.html#ixzz1Z9GgJ9TU 

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We have been retained by the families of two people who died from complications of listeriosis, an illness caused by Listeria monocytogenes, a foodborne pathogen. We are investigating whether these deaths are part of the Listeria outbreak linked to Rocky Ford cantaloupe grown by Jensen Farms on its fields in Granada, Colorado.

One of the cases involves the death of a 76-year-old DuPage County, Illinois man. He had eaten cantaloupe every day before he had symptoms of listeriosis. He was diagnosed with listeriosis, hospitalized, and released a few days later. His condition worsened, and he was hospitalized a second time. He died on September 11, 2011.

We are also representing the family of a woman from New York who died from listeriosis while in the hospital for an unrelated medical condition. During the month that she was in the hospital for the unrelated medical condition, she ate a lot of cantaloupe. Because she liked fruit, the dietician had put in a special order for a fruit plate two times a day.  The fruit plate typically had cantaloupe, honeydew, strawberries and grapes. She was to be discharged on August 11 or 12, but symptoms of listeriosis manifested.  She died on August 17, 2011. 

There have been 9 confirmed listeriosis wrongful death cases linked to the outbreak, and many more deaths are being investigated. The nine confirmed outbreak deaths include two in Colorado, four in New Mexico and one each in Oklahoma, Maryland and Nebraska.

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Another woman from Wyoming died from complications of listeriosis on Friday, and health officials are trying to determine if the death is part of the outbreak linked to cantaloupe grown in Colorado by Jensen Farms.

The outbreak is becoming the most deadly foodborne outbreak in U.S. history, with 9 confirmed listeriosis wrongful death cases linked to the outbreak already and many more deaths being investigated, including cases our law firm is investigating. The nine confirmed outbreak deaths include two in Colorado, four in New Mexico and one each in Oklahoma, Maryland and Nebraska.

Wyoming has reported three listeria infections in the past week, more than it normally reports in a year, Wyoming Department of Health spokeswoman Kim Deti told the Denver Post. Two of the cases were not fatal. They were both in Laramie County and have been linked to Jensen Farms Colorado cantaloupe.

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The cantaloupe listeriosis outbreak has widened its reach into Nebraska, New Mexico, Colorado and Texas, according to reports from state health departments.

Nebraska health officials reported on September 23, that a man in his eighties from western Nebraska was the state’s first fatality of the outbreak which began in mid-August. “Analysis shows that the strains of Listeria that are being investigated in Colorado match the one identified with this individual,” said Dr. Joann Schaefer, Chief Medical Officer and Director of the Division of Public Health in a press release. Including this death Nebraska now has six confirmed cases of listeriosis associated with this outbreak.

New Mexico health officials are reporting 10 cases of listeriosis confirmed as part of the outbreak, four of whom have died. Three additional cases are under investigation, one of those people has died.

In Texas, a third person from Dallas County was diagnosed with listeriosis linked to the outbreak, according to a KERA television report.

Colorado cases confirmed as part of the outbreak increased from 14 to 15 this week, according to the Denver Post. Two people from Colorado have died.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Friday that tainted cantaloupes were shipped to more states than originally thought. States that received shipments of potentially tainted cantaloupe from July 29 through September 10, 2011 include: Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming.

Sources:
http://www.dhhs.ne.gov/newsroom/newsreleases/2011/Sept/listeria2.htm

http://www.health.state.nm.us/

http://www.kdheks.gov/news/web_archives/2011/09222011a.htm
 

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Carol’s Cuts, a Kansas food processor, is recalling 594 pounds of fresh cut cantaloupe because of potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The recall is part of a broader recall of Rocky Ford cantaloupes produced by Jensen Farms in Holly, Colo. After Listeria was found in samples taken from melons and its packing facility, Jensen Farms issued a recall for Rocky Ford cantaloupes that were shipped to at least 17 states between July 29 and September 10.

The cantaloupe listeria outbreak has sickened at least 55 people in 14 states, eight of whom died according to the latest update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on September 21.

Carol’s Cuts is the processing division of Kansas City-based, Liberty Fruit Company Inc.
According to the FDA press release, the products involved in the cut cantaloupe recall include:

• Carol’s Cuts Fruit Medley, packaged in 8-ounce individual serving clamshell containers (6 packages per case) shipped to customers on August 26 and September 12, 2011 and can be identified by oval label stickers stating Fruit Medley and having Best if Used By dates of September 3, 2011 and September 19, 2011 respectively.
• Five-pound bulk trays of cantaloupe chunks, distributed to institutional food customers, including restaurants, in Overland Park, Kansas, Kansas City and Maryland Heights, Missouri and Omaha, Nebraska. Institutional customers may have used the cantaloupe on salad bars and as fruit menu items. Some institutional customers may have placed the 8-ounce servings in retail venues. 
• The five-pound bulk trays of cantaloupe chunks were shipped to customers on August 26 and August 29, 2011 and are identified with tray stickers showing a Lot # 72361 and a Best if Used By date of September 3, 2011; and shipped September 12, 2011 and are identified with tray stickers showing a Lot # 72700 and a Best if Used By date of September 19, 2011.

Consumers who may have purchased the recalled Carol’s Cuts product, should not eat it and return it to the place of purchase, the FDA recommends.
 

Source: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm273141.htm 

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Parker Ag Services which sprays treated human waste on farm fields, including one near Jensen Farms, has been questioned by investigators of the multi-state cantaloupe listeria outbreak.

According to a story by 7NEWS The DenverChannel.com, investigators are trying to determine if treated human waste, known as biosolids, may have played a role in contaminating the Rocky Ford cantaloupes linked to the outbreak.

Parker Ag Services vice president Mike Shearp told state investigators that his company applied biosolids to a field “directly across from a Jensen Farms field" several years ago, according to the story. Jensen Farms told 7NEWS that it does not use biosolids.

"I have no concern at all because I know that there has never been an issue involving that, so I'm 100 percent confident that we’re not involved in this issue," Shearp told 7NEWS.

The use of biosolids as fertilizer is common and has a safe track record in the U.S., Colorado State University animal science professor Lawrence Goodridge said in the story. "In other countries, there have been outbreaks of food-borne pathogenic disease from biosolids."

The cantaloupe listeria outbreak is the first of its kind. As of September 20, a total of 55 people in 14 states have been infected with listeriosis. Eight of them have died. Symptoms of listeriosis can take as long as 70 day to appear after contaminated food is ingested. They include fever and muscle aches, often preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. In more severe cases, there can also be headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, according to the CDC.

If you have legal questions about and illness, hospitalization or death associated with this outbreak, contact a listeria attorney at PritzkerOlsen P.A. for a free consultation.

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Two elderly Mesa County residents have been stricken with listeriosis, one of them has died, another remains hospitalized. 

Neither of the cases has been linked to the multi-state cantaloupe listeria outbreak. Since mid-August, the outbreak has sickened 55 people in 14 states, eight of whom have died, according to a September 21 update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Earlier this month, health officials identified Rocky Ford cantaloupes from Jensen Farms of Holly, Colo., as the likely source of the outbreak. On September 14, Jensen Farms issued a voluntary recall of its Rocky Ford cantaloupe because of  potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, the foodborne pathogen that causes listeriosis. 

Listeriosis is a serious, sometimes fatal infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The disease primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and newborns. Antibiotics given promptly can cure the illness and prevent infection of a fetus. However, even with prompt treatment, some Listeria infections result in death.  

Symptoms  of listeriosis can take as long as 70 day to appear after contaminated food is ingested. They include fever and muscle aches, often preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. In more severe cases, there can also be headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, according to the CDC.

If you have legal questions about and illness, hospitalization or death associated with this outbreak, contact a listeria attorney at PritzkerOlsen for a free consultation.

Source: http://health.mesacounty.us/comm/news/2011/2011-09-22-1.pdf

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Five Kansas listeriosis cases are part of the multi-state cantaloupe listeria outbreak, according to state health officials.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Kansas Department of Agriculture were notified that samples from five of the eight listeriosis cases reported since August 26 match the outbreak strain, according to a September 22 press release. Two of the eight patients died and the cause of both deaths is still being investigated.

The confirmed cases are expected to be added to the next update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) whose most recent update from September 21 identifies a total of 55 people infected in 14 states. The illnesses started on or after August 4, 2011. By state, the breakdown form that update is as follows: California (1), Colorado (14), Illinois (1), Indiana (1), Maryland (1), Montana (1), Nebraska (4), New Mexico (10), Oklahoma (8), Texas (9), Virginia (1), West Virginia (1), Wisconsin (2), and Wyoming (1). 

Earlier this month health officials identified Rocky Ford cantaloupes from Jensen Farms of Holly, Colo., as the likely source of the outbreak. On September 14, Jensen Farms issued a voluntary recall of its Rocky Ford cantaloupe because of potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, the foodborne pathogen that causes listeriosis. The recall covered melons shipped from July 29 through September 10, 2011. The cantaloupes were distributed in Kansas and several other states.

Listeriosis is a serious, sometimes fatal infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The disease primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and newborns.

Symptoms include fever and muscle aches, often preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. In more severe cases, there can also be headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, according to the CDC. Pregnant women typically experience only mild, flu-like symptoms. However, infections during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn.

If you have legal questions about and illness, hospitalization or death associated with this outbreak, contact a listeria attorney at PritzkerOlsen P.A. for a free consultation.

Source: http://www.kdheks.gov/news/web_archives/2011/09222011a.htm

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The cantaloupe Listeria outbreak that has sickened at least 55 people, eight of whom have died, in 14 states is being investigated by state and federal officials and by the law firm PritzkerOlsen P.A. Attorney Ryan Osterholm answers questions about what's involved with a foodborne illness investigation.

How do law firms investigate outbreaks of foodborne illness?
We consistently monitor the information coming out of the CDC, state health departments and other agencies and the information doctors give to our clients. We have established working relationships with nearly every health department in the country and we frequently hire the best experts in the world to analyze information that determines whether a specific case case is part of an outbreak.

The ongoing cantaloupe Listeria outbreak is the first of its kind. Does that present unique challenges in this investigation?

It does and it doesn’t. The first course of action is to find out how this happened so that it can be prevented from happening again. We’ve seen lots of Listeria outbreaks involving other foods and lots of cantaloupe outbreaks caused by other pathogens. Even though this combination is a first, in terms of proving a case, it’s not that much different.

Unlike other bacteria that can cause foodborne illness, Listeria can be found everywhere in the environment, does that make it harder to trace the source of the contamination?

In terms of proving that Listeria was on the Jensen Farms product, what’s most important is the epidemiological evidence, the correlation between eating the cantaloupe and developing listeriosis. Discovering the nature of how the contamination occurred is not as important as the good old fashioned epidemiology. However, once we have a positive test from the product, that just backs up the epidemiology. It is sort of a smoking gun.

Why are PritzkerOlsen attorneys considered Listeria experts?

PritzkerOlsen attorneys have represented individuals sickened by Listeria in almost every major outbreak in the country, including one case where Fred Pritzker settled a case for $2.7 million after an 81-year-old man died after he contracted listeriosis from contaminated food.

What can consumers do to protect themselves from foodborne illness?
Consumers should follow the safe food handling guidelines as outlined by the CDC.

They are:

• Rinse raw produce, such as fruits and vegetables, thoroughly under running tap water before eating. Dry the produce with a clean cloth or paper towel before cutting them up.
• Thoroughly cook raw meat and poultry.
• Heat hot dogs, deli meats, and cold cuts until they are steaming hot just before serving.
• Do not drink raw (unpasteurized) milk, and do not eat fresh soft cheeses that have unpasteurized milk in them, especially Mexican style cheeses like queso fresco.
• Be sure that your refrigerator is at or below 40 degrees F and your freezer is at or below 0 degrees F by using a refrigerator thermometer.

For melons not part of this recall, follow this general advice for melon safety:

• Consumers should wash their hands before and after handling any whole melon, such as cantaloupe, watermelon, or honeydew.
• Wash the melons and dry them with a clean cloth or paper towel before cutting.
• Cut melon should be promptly consumed or refrigerated at or less than 40 degrees F (32-34 degrees F is best) for no more than 7 days.
• Cut melons left at room temperature for more than 4 hours should be discarded.

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Health officials are awaiting test results to determine whether eight cases of listeriosis in Kansas, including two people who died, are part of the multistate cantaloupe Listeria outbreak that has sickened at least 55 people in 14 states, eight of whom have died.

Six cases of listeriosis in Kansas were reported August 26, two more were reported September 16 and 20. Kansas usually reports fewer than six cases of listeriosis per year; so far in 2011 there have been nine cases, including the eight cases currently under investigation. Investigators are using DNA analysis of Listeria isolated from patients to identify cases that may be part of this outbreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The outbreak has been traced to cantaloupes from Jensen Farms in Holly, Colo., which is recalling cantaloupe it shipped throughout the country between July 29 and September 10.

Listeriosis is a serious, sometimes fatal infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The disease primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and newborns. The incubation period can be as long as 70 days, so it could be mid-November before someone who ate tainted cantaloupe becomes ill.

PritzkerOlsen. P.A., a nationally recognized leader in food safety law has launched an investigation of this outbreak, monitoring Listeria cases in every state as the outbreak spreads. Contact them for a free consultation.

Source: http://www.kdheks.gov/news/web_archives/2011/09202011a.htm 

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Today's CDC Highlights

• As of 5pm EDT on September 20, 2011, a total of 55 persons infected with the 4 outbreak-associated strains of Listeria monocytogenes have been reported from 14 states.  All illnesses started on or after August 4, 2011. The number of infected persons identified in each state is as follows:  California (1), Colorado (14), Illinois (1), Indiana (1), Maryland (1), Montana (1), Nebraska (4), New Mexico (10), Oklahoma (8), Texas (9), Virginia (1), West Virginia (1), Wisconsin (2), and Wyoming (1). 
• Collaborative investigations by local, state, and federal public health and regulatory agencies indicate the source of the outbreak is whole cantaloupe grown at Jensen Farms’ production fields in Granada, Colorado.
• On September 14, 2011, FDA announce that Jensen Farms issued a voluntary recall of its Rocky Ford-brand cantaloupes after being linked to a multistate outbreak of listeriosis.
• CDC recommends that persons at high risk for listeriosis, including older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women, do not eat Rocky Ford cantaloupes from Jensen Farms. Other consumers who want to reduce their risk of Listeria infection should not eat Rocky Ford cantaloupes from Jensen Farms.
• Even if some of the cantaloupe has been eaten without becoming ill, dispose of the rest of the cantaloupe immediately. Listeria bacteria can grow in the cantaloupe at room and refrigerator temperatures.

The number of outbreak cases is still low. Our law firm is representing clients in personal injury and wrongful death cases that have a likely association with this outbreak.

More Information from the CDC

Among persons for whom information is available, illnesses began on or after August 4, 2011. Ages range from 35 to 96 years, with a median age of 78 years old.  Most ill persons are over 60 years old or have health conditions that weaken the immune system. Fifty-nine percent of ill persons are female. Among the 43 ill persons with available information on whether they were hospitalized, all were hospitalized.  Eight deaths have been reported, 2 in Colorado, 1 in Maryland, 4 in New Mexico, and 1 in Oklahoma.

Investigations by health officials indicate the source of the outbreak is whole cantaloupe grown at Jensen Farms’ production fields in Granada, Colorado. Among the 36 ill persons with available information on what they ate, 34 (94%) reported consuming cantaloupes in the month before illness onset. Several ill persons remembered the type of cantaloupe they had eaten and said they were Rocky Ford cantaloupes, which are grown in the Rocky Ford region of southeastern Colorado. Source tracing of the cantaloupes that ill persons ate indicated that they came from Jensen Farms, and were marketed as being from the Rocky Ford region. These cantaloupes were shipped from July 29 through Sept 10 to at least 17 states with possible further distribution.

Laboratory testing by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment identified Listeria monocytogenes bacteria on cantaloupes collected from grocery stores and from an ill person’s home. Product traceback information from Colorado state officials indicated these cantaloupes also came from Jensen Farms. Laboratory testing by FDA has identified L. monocytogenes matching outbreak strains in samples from equipment and cantaloupe at the Jensen Farms’ packing facility in Granada, Colorado.

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Laboratory tests, including DNA fingerprinting (PFGE), have confirmed eight deaths in the Listeria outbreak linked to Rocky Ford cantaloupe grown by Jensen Farms of Holly Colorado: 2 in Colorado, 1 in Maryland, 4 in New Mexico, and 1 in Oklahoma, according to today's CDC update on the outbreak.

In addition to the eight deaths listed above, Listeria deaths in other states are being investigated to determine if they were caused by Jensen Farms cantaloupe. Our law firm is representing the family of a 76-year-old Illinois man who died from complications of a Listeria infection (listeriosis) on September 9, 2011. He had eaten cantaloupe on a daily basis before becoming ill. Contact our law firm for a free consultation regarding a Listeria wrongful death investigation and lawsuit.

Investigation of Cantaloupe Listeria Outbreak

Laboratory testing has identified Listeria monocytogenes bacteria matching the outbreak strains:

• on cantaloupes from Jensen Farms collected from grocery stores
• on Jensen Farms cantaloupe collected from an ill person’s home
• in samples from equipment and cantaloupe at the Jensen Farms’ packing facility in Granada, Colorado.

Among the 36 ill persons with available information on what they ate, 34 (94%) reported consuming cantaloupes in the month before illness onset. Several ill persons remembered the type of cantaloupe they had eaten and said they were Rocky Ford cantaloupes, which are grown in the Rocky Ford region of southeastern Colorado. Source tracing of the cantaloupes that ill persons ate indicated that they came from Jensen Farms, and were marketed as being from the Rocky Ford region. These cantaloupes were shipped from July 29 through Sept 10 to at least 17 states with possible further distribution.

Cantaloupe Recall Too Late to Save Lives

In response to this outbreak, Jensen Farms recalled its Rocky Ford cantaloupe on September 14, 20ll, 41 days after outbreak victims started to get sick:

• The cantaloupe may be labeled: Colorado Grown, Distributed by Frontera Produce, USA, Pesticide Free, Jensenfarms.com, Sweet Rocky Fords.
• The cantaloupes are packed in cartons that are labeled: Frontera Produce, www.fronteraproduce.com or with Frontera Produce, Rocky Ford Cantaloupes. Both cartons also include: Grown and packed by Jensen Farms Granada, CO and Shipped by Frontera Produce LTD, Edinburg, Texas.
• Not all of the recalled cantaloupes are labeled with a sticker. Consumers should consult the retailer if they have questions about the origin of a cantaloupe.

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Samples of Listeria monocytogenes taken from packing equipment and cantaloupes from Jensen Farms in Holly, Colo. match one of the three different strains of Listeria monocytogenes associated with the multi-state outbreak of listeriosis, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed in a press release.

Jensen Farms recalled its Rocky Ford cantaloupes on September 14 in response to the outbreak which has stricken 35 people in 10 states, including four deaths, according to the latest update form the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

After state health officials identified Rocky Ford cantaloupes from Jensen Farms as the common food eaten by several listeriosis patients, FDA investigators collected cantaloupes and environmental samples from a Denver-area store and from the Jensen Farms packing facility in Granada, Colo., according to the release.

The FDA’s investigation includes federal and state microbiologists, environmental health specialists, veterinarians and investigative officers, according to the release. The experts will now analyze the evidence to determine the most likely cause of contamination and identify measures to help prevent future contaminations.

Our Listeria attorneys represent clients throughout the United States in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against growers, distributors, manufacturers, processors, retailers, restaurants and others. People have been sickened by cantaloupe in the following states: California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas (probable while awaiting the results of testing), Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia and Wyoming (probable).

Source:http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm272527.htm

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A Colorado woman may be the second person in that state to die from the cantaloupe listeriosis outbreak that now stretches from West Virginia to California.

The victim was a 48-year-old mother of three who died Tuesday, September 20 at Parker Adventist Hospital about three weeks after she became ill, according to a story on TheDenverChannel.com

"It went from … her having cardiac arrest at the hospital to being in a coma," the victim’s daughter said in the story. "I just definitely wouldn't want to see anybody else have to go through this."

State health officials say testing will be needed to confirm if the death is part of the outbreak that includes 35 confirmed cases and 4 deaths in 10 states according to the latest information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.)

The outbreak has been linked to Rocky Ford cantaloupes from Jensen Farms in Holly, Colo., which has issued a recall for cantaloupe shipped from July 29 through September 10, 2011, because it potentially may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the foodborne pathogen that causes listeriosis.

The number of infected persons confirmed in each state so far is as follows: California (1), Colorado (12), Illinois (1), Indiana (1), Montana (1), Nebraska (4), New Mexico (5), Oklahoma (6), Texas (3), and West Virginia (1).

If you need legal advice about an illness, hospitalization or death related to this outbreak, contact the expert listeria lawyers at PritzkerOlsen, P.A. for a free consultation.

News source: http://www.thedenverchannel.com/education/29244172/detail.html

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One person in West Virginia has a laboratory-confirmed case of listeriosis linked to Rocky Ford cantaloupe grown by Jensen Farms in Colorado. The cantaloupe has sickened over 30 people in several states. In response to this outbreak, Jensen Farms recalled its Rocky Ford cantaloupe shipped from July 29 through September 10, 2011.  Although West Virginia has not been identified as a state where recalled cantaloupes from Jensen Farms were distributed, health officials think the person may have purchased recalled cantaloupes in another state:

“Given our shared border, it’s quite likely that some West Virginians buy groceries in Pennsylvania. At this point, we don’t know exactly what stores may be affected by this recall, so consumers should ensure any purchased cantaloupe is not part of the recall before consuming,” said West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass in a press release. State agriculture inspectors are aware of the recall and checking for recalled product during regular store visits, he added.

Listeriosis is a serious, sometimes fatal infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The disease primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and newborns.

Listeriosis symptoms include fever and muscle aches, often preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. In more severe cases, there can also be headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, according to the CDC. Pregnant women typically experience only mild, flu-like symptoms. However, infections during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn.

Listeria attorneys at PritzkerOlsen, P.A., a nationally recognized leader in food safety law, can answer legal questions about illnesses that are part of this outbreak. Contact them for a free consultation. They are experts in listeriosis and have won dozens of cases and millions of dollars for their clients.
  

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One person in Indiana has a lab-confirmed case of listeriosis caused by Rocky Ford cantaloupe grown by Jensen Farms in Colorado, according to the CDC. The case is one of over 30 linked to the cantaloupe.

Our food safety attorneys represent listeriosis (Listeria food poisoning) victims nationwide. Contact them for a free consultation about a lawsuit against Jensen Farms and others.

Prompted by the listeriosis outbreak, Jensen Farms recalled their shipments of Rocky Ford whole cantaloupe due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The Jensen Farms cantaloupes in question were shipped between July 29th, 2011 and September 10th 2011. The whole cantaloupes have a green and white sticker that reads: Product of USA- Frontera Produce-Colorado Fresh-Rocky Ford- Cantaloupe or a gray, yellow, and green sticker that reads: Jensen Farms-Sweet Rocky Fords.

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Our lawyers are representing the family of a 76-year-old man from DuPage County, Illinois (Chicago area) who died on September 11 from sepsis caused by a Listeria infection (listeriosis). He ate cantaloupe on a daily basis before becoming ill. We have launched our own investigation to determine if his death was part of a listeriosis outbreak caused by Rocky Ford cantaloupe grown by Jensen Farms in Colorado and distributed in Illinois.

Our food safety lawyers represent Listeria victims nationwide. Contact them for a free consultation about a lawsuit against Jensen Farms and others.

One listeriosis survivor, an 82-year-old suburban Chicago woman from Cook County, was sickened by Jensen Farms cantaloupe and is listed as a laboratory-confirmed case by the CDC. She became ill September 7 after she ate cantaloupe from a store that had received cantaloupe later recalled by Jensen Farms, according to Illinois health officials. She was hospitalized.

Jensen Farms Cantaloupe Recall

Prompted by the listeriosis outbreak, Jensen Farms recalled their shipments of Rocky Ford whole cantaloupe due to possible Listeria contamination. The Jensen Farms cantaloupes in question were shipped between July 29th, 2011 and September 10th 2011, and distributed to Illinois and several other states. The whole cantaloupes have a green and white sticker that reads: Product of USA- Frontera Produce-Colorado Fresh-Rocky Ford- Cantaloupe or a gray, yellow, and green sticker that reads: Jensen Farms-Sweet Rocky Fords.

News Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-listeria-cantalou,0,7278190.story

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Oklahoma, New Mexico and Colorado have experienced a total of four cantaloupe Listeria deaths in an outbreak that has grown to include 35 case patients in 10 states. The latest report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) adds California, Illinois and Montana to the original group of seven states. Colorado is the anchor.

Food poisoning attorneys Fred Pritzker and Brendan Flaherty are in contact with families who have lost loved ones to this outbreak. The rash of fatal illnesses and hospitalizations is now solidly linked to sweet Rocky Ford cantaloupes from Jensen Farms. Listeriosis from fresh produce is preventable and a cantaloupe lawsuit will aim to hold the grower and supply chain accountable for all harms. Free cases consultations are available at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or click here to submit your contact information to Fred or Brendan.

The outbreak started August 4, 2011, and probably has reached more than 10 states. The CDC will add to the outbreak totals as more cases are confirmed. So far, the CDC's official count is that two people in New Mexico are dead along with one death each in Oklahoma and Colorado. Health officials at the state level suspect at least seven people have died from cantaloupe Listeria.

The number of infected persons confirmed in each state so far is as follows: California (1), Colorado (12), Illinois (1), Indiana (1), Montana (1), Nebraska (4), New Mexico (5), Oklahoma (6), Texas (3), and West Virginia (1).

Most ill persons are over 60 years old or have health conditions that weaken the immune system. Sixty-five percent of ill persons are female. Among the 28 ill persons with available information on whether they were hospitalized, all were hospitalized, the CDC reported. 

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A Wyoming listeriosis case is likely part of the Rocky Ford cantaloupe outbreak that includes 53 confirmed or possible cases and as many as seven deaths in a dozen states, according to the Wyoming Department of Health.

“After reviewing this case, we believe it is likely part of the current listeria outbreak,” Dr. Tracy Murphy, state epidemiologist with the Wyoming Department of Health said in a statement.

The listeriosis case is a Laramie County man who had exposure to cantaloupe prior to his illnesses, public health officials said. The outbreak has been linked to Rocky Ford cantaloupes from Jensen Farms in Colorado.

“We are recommending that Wyoming residents not eat “Rocky Ford” cantaloupe shipped from this farm. A recall is underway of this product, but consumers may already have them in their homes,” Murphy said in the statement.

The FDA is also warning consumers not to eat Rocky Ford cantaloupe shipped by Jensen Farms which is voluntarily recalling the Rocky Ford cantaloupe it shipped from July 29 through September 10, 2011, because it potentially may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the foodborne pathogen that causes listeriosis.

Listeriosis is a serious, sometimes fatal infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The disease primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and newborns.

Symptoms include fever and muscle aches, often preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. In more severe cases, there can also be headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, according to the CDC. Pregnant women typically experience only mild, flu-like symptoms. However, infections during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn.

The cantaloupes are packed in cartons labeled: Frontera Produce, www.fronteraproduce.com or with Frontera Produce, Rocky Ford Cantaloupes. Both cartons also include: Grown and packed by Jensen Farms Granada, CO and Shipped by Frontera Produce LTD, Edinburg, Texas.

“We realize it may be tough for consumers to determine if a particular cantaloupe in their home is potentially affected,” Murphy said. “We suggest people should not take any chances because listeriosis can be serious and life-threatening for some. If you’re not sure it is safe, don’t eat it.”

Listeria attorneys at PritzkerOlsen, P.A., a nationally recognized leader in food safety law, can answer legal questions about illnesses that are part of this outbreak. Contact them for a free consultation. They are experts in listeriosis and have won dozens of cases an millions of dollars for their clients.

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Update on this post: The CDC has reported that the 6 Kansas listeriosis cases are part of the listerosis outbreak linked to Rocky Ford cantaloupe grown in Colorado by Jensen Farms. Our attorneys are available for a free consultation regarding a lawsuit against Jensen Farms and others.

Six cases of listeriosis in Kansas are being investigated for their possible link to the cantaloupe Listeria outbreak that began in Colorado in August and has now reached 53 confirmed or possible cases and as many as seven deaths in a dozen states. The source of this outbreak is Rocky Ford cantaloupe grown by Jensen Farms of Colorado and distributed in Kansas and other states.

Laboratory tests are pending in a collaborative investigation by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The test results will confirm whether the six cases of listeriosis reported in Kansas since August 26 are part of the multistate listeriosis outbreak associated with consumption of Rocky Ford cantaloupes from Jensen Farms.

The Rocky Ford cantaloupe outbreak of listeriosis began on or after August 15, 2011. The victims range in age from 38 to 96, but most have been women over the age of 60. All of them required hospitalization.

PritzkerOlsen. P.A., a nationally recognized leader in food safety law has launched an investigation of this outbreak, monitoring listeriosis cases in every state as the outbreaks spreads. Due to the scope and severity of this outbreak they are offering free consultations to those who have legal questions about illnesses that may be related to this outbreak. 

Kansas typically reports fewer than six cases of listeriosis per year, but there have been seven cases in 2011, including the six cases currently under investigation.

Jensen Farms of Holly, Colo., issued a voluntary recall of Rocky Ford Cantaloupe on September 14, for melons shipped from July 29 through September 10, 2011. The cantaloupes were distributed in Kansas and several other states. The FDA is warning consumers not to eat Rocky Ford cantaloupe shipped by Jensen Farms because it potentially may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the foodborne pathogen that causes listeriosis.

Listeriosis is a serious, sometimes fatal infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The disease primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and newborns.

Symptoms include fever and muscle aches, often preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. In more severe cases, there can also be headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, according to the CDC. Pregnant women typically experience only mild, flu-like symptoms. However, infections during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn.
 

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The cantaloupe listeria outbreak is spreading through the country with at least 53 confirmed or possible cases and as many as seven deaths in a dozen states. Our attorneys are investigating Listeria cases throughout the United States. Contact our attorneys for a free consultation.

So far the toll by state is as follows:

• Colorado: 12 confirmed cases, 1 death
• Illinois: 1 suspected case
• Indiana: 1 confirmed case
• Kansas: 6 suspected cases
• Missouri: 2 suspected cases, one death
• Montana: 2 suspected cases
• Nebraska: 1 confirmed case, 2 suspected cases
• New Mexico: 5 confirmed cases, 5 suspected cases, 4 possibly linked deaths
• Oklahoma: 6 confirmed cases, 1 death, 4 suspected cases
• Texas: 2 confirmed cases
• West Virginia: 1 confirmed case
• Wyoming: 1 suspected case

The FDA is warning consumers not to eat Rocky Ford cantaloupe shipped by Jensen Farms. Jensen Farms has recalled the Rocky Ford cantaloupe it shipped from July 29 through September 10, 2011, because it potentially may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the foodborne pathogen that causes listeriosis.

Grocery stores have pulled potentially tainted melons from their shelves. And now, PritzkerOlsen, P.A., a national food poisoning litigation law firm specializing Listeria, has launched an investigation into this outbreak. Listeriosis experts at PritzkerOlsen have been involved in every major Listeria outbreak in the country and have won millions for their clients. 

The Rocky Ford cantaloupe outbreak of listeriosis began on or after August 15, 2011. The victims range in age from 38 to 96, but most have been women over the age of 60. All of them required hospitalization.

Listeriosis is a serious, sometimes fatal infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The disease primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and newborns.

Listeria symptoms include fever and muscle aches, often preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. In the most dangerous cases, an infection from Listeria monocytogenes may lead to sepsis (blood poisoning), Listeria meningitis (infection of the meninges of the brain, spinal cord and related fluids), and/or encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). 

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Attorney Fred Pritzker won $2,700,000 for a family in a Listeria wrongful death lawsuit. Now he and his team of Listeria attorneys are investigating a New Mexico Listeria outbreak linked to Rocky Ford cantaloupe grown by Jensen Farms of Colorado. The outbreak has caused four deaths and six laboratory-confirmed illnesses since August 20. New Mexico ranks with Colorado as the two states hardest hit by Jensen Farms cantaloupe contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Contact attorney Fred Pritzker for a free consultation regarding a lawsuit against responsible parties, which may include any of the following: Jensen Farms, Basila Produce in Albuquerque (distributor), Wal-Mart Distribution in Los Lunasand (distributor), and a retailer or restaurant. Retailers that sold Jensen Farms cantaloupe include Wal-mart, Whole Foods and other stores.

The most current information from the New Mexico Department of Health:

To date, the New Mexico Department of Health (DOH) has identified ten patients hospitalized with Listeria infection in the last 3 weeks, including 3 fatalities. New Mexico’s fatal cases include: a 93-year-old man from Bernalillo County, a 61-year-old female from Curry County, and a 63-year-old man from Bernalillo County. All other New Mexico cases have been or are currently hospitalized and come from Bernalillo, Chaves, Otero, De Baca, Valencia and Lea counties. The ill people range in age from the 43 to 96 and include 4 men and 6 women. Illness onset ranges from August 20th to early September.

Attorney Pritzker is warning consumers to stay alert for symptoms of Listeria monocytogenes infection because the onset of illness can happen several days after consumption of tainted food. If an individual experiences symptoms, they should immediately contact a physician and then contact our law firm.

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Listeria lawyer Fred Pritzker, nationally recognized for litigation in the area of foodborne illness, currently represents a family that lost a loved one to Listeria infection. Previously, Pritzker won a $6,000,000 settlement against food manufacturers for multiple deaths resulting from Listeria-tainted sliced turkey. He is accepting New Mexico Listeria cases from the ongoing cantaloupe outbreak at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or leave contact information and a Pritzker lawyer will call you to discuss you legal options.

Three of New Mexico’s Listeria deaths happened to a 93-year-old man from Bernalillo County, a 61-year-old woman from Curry County, and a 63-year-old man from Bernalillo County. All other cases come from Bernalillo, Chaves, Otero, De Baca, Valencia and Lea counties. The victims range in age from the 43 to 96 and include 4 men and 6 women.

State inspectors in New Mexico found that several Wal-Marts and Whole Foods stores were among the retailers that carried Jensen Farms cantaloupe before the recall was announced earlier in the week. Attorney Pritzker is warning consumers to stay alert for symptoms of Listeria monocytogenes infection because the onset of illness can happen several days after consumption of tainted food. If an individual experiences symptoms, they should immediately contact a physician.

Cantaloupe Listeria outbreaks are preventable and food poisoning lawsuits can act as important deterrents to future negligence that threatens lives. People put their faith in a food supply that is safe. For those individuals and families directly affected by this outbreak, a good Listeria lawyer can win money for compensation of all harms, including loss of companionship, pain and suffering and lost earning power now and in the future.

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Texas Listeria cases average about 44 per year. There have been 20 reported cases in the Lone Star state so far in 2011 and at least two of them are linked by scientific evidence to Colorado cantaloupe from Jensen Farms -- distributed by Frontera Produce.

Listeria outbreak attorney Fred Pritzker is in contact with victims of the multi-state cantaloupe Listeria outbreak and is preparing for a cantaloupe lawsuit. His firm is one of the very few in the country practicing extensively in foodborne illness litigation and his record includes a $6 million Listeria lawsuit settlement in a difficult wrongful death situation with multiple victims.

Texas is one of seven states currently identified by CDC as part of the Colorado cantaloupe outbreak that has killed at least two people and sickened at least 22. The other states are Nebraska, Oklahoma, Indiana, New Mexico and West Virginia. News reports also cite a Wyoming Listeria case that could be part of the outbreak.

The Texas Department of State Health Services says that both Texas cases – one in North Texas and one in Southeast Texas – were hospitalized. Texas authorities are collaborating with the CDC, FDA and health officials in other states to investigate.

Jensen Farms cantaloupes were recalled this week, but Pritzker is warning families to be aware of a delay in symptoms. With the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, an infection may not produce symptoms for many days. Symptoms of  fever and muscle aches often are preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.

Pregnant women:  Pregnant women typically experience only a mild, flu-like illness. However, infections during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn. 

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The Nebraska Canataloupe Listeria Outbreak may be to blame for two individuals in Douglas County coming down with symptoms of Listeriosis, adding to one confirmed outbreak case in the state previously reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Listeria attorney Fred Pritzker has won numerous settlements, including more than $6 million for clients in a Listeria food poisoning case that involved the wrongful deaths of an elderly man and unborn babies. He has a national practice and is available for a free consultation regarding a cantaloupe lawsuit. 

Nebraska is one of seven states identified by the CDC as part of the outbreak that began August 15. It neighbors Colorado, home of Jensen Farms near the Rocky Ford cantaloupe region in the southern portion of the state. The CDC has linked the multi-state Listeria outbreak to "sweet Rocky Fords'' from Jensen and state health officials have conflirmed the link with laboratory testing.

Nebraska.TV reported that Safeway stores across the state have pulled Jensen Farms cantaloupes as part of a recall announced by the FDA. Even after the recall, health officials are warning consumers to be aware that listeriosis symptoms can develop more than a week after a person eats contaminated cantaloupe. Symptoms include flu-like fever and muscle aches, uppset stomach or diarrhea, stiff neck, headache, loss of balance, confusion or convulsions. Pregnant women are at high risk and may only experience mild flu-like symptoms.

 Consumers who experience these Listeria symptoms should immediately see a doctor. For legal help, call Pritzker and his Listeria law team at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or submit contact information online.

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Attorneys Fred Pritzker and Brendan Flaherty won over $6,000,000 for their clients in a Listeria food poisoning case that involved the wrongful deaths of an elderly man and unborn babies. They and their team are now investigating Listeria cases in Oklahoma linked to a multistate outbreak linked to Rocky Ford cantaloupe. They are available for a free consultation regarding a cantaloupe lawsuit.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) has now confirmed a total of six cases of Listeria infection (listeriosis) related to cantaloupe shipped by Jensen Farms from the Rocky Ford, CO, growing region. All six cases were hospitalized and one of these died.  An additional four listeriosis cases are under investigation, and are suspected to be related to the nationwide outbreak.  All of the Oklahoma cases are over the age of sixty.

Jensen Farms is voluntarily recalling Rocky Ford Cantaloupe. The recalled cantaloupes were shipped from the Rocky Ford growing region of Colorado from July 29 through September 10 and are potentially linked to a multi-state outbreak of listeriosis. The recalled cantaloupes were distributed to at least 17 states, including Oklahoma, with possible further distribution. Retailers like Walmart, Supervalue and Whole Foods Market have pulled the recalled cantaloupes off of their shelves.

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Attorneys Fred Pritzker and Brendan Flaherty won over $6,000,000 for their clients in a Listeria food poisoning case that involved the wrongful deaths of an elderly man and unborn babies. They have a national practice and are available for a free consultation regarding a cantaloupe lawsuit.

Our attorneys are now investigating Listeria cases in several states that are part of a multistate outbreak linked to Rocky Ford cantaloupe grown by Jensen Farms in Colorado and distributed by Frontera Produce of Texas.  In response to this outbreak, Jensen Farms has recalled cantaloupe that was sent to several states, including Missouri. Retailers like Walmart, Supervalue and Whole Foods Market pulled the recalled cantaloupes off of their shelves.

Recalled Colorado cantaloupes are being investigated for their potential link to two cases of listeriosis in Missouri, one of which resulted in a fatality, according to the Springfield-Greene County Health Department. “Do not consume Rocky Ford cantaloupes at this time. As this investigation continues, more information will be made available in order to protect the health and safety of the community,” the release states.

"The Springfield-Greene County Health Department is investigating two cases of listeria that could be linked to this cantaloupe recall. The individuals did eat cantaloupe prior to their own set of illness, but we do not know the specific brand of cantaloupe at this time,"  Kendra Williams, community health and epidemiology administrator for the health department, told KSPR News.

The FDA is warning consumers not to eat Rocky Ford cantaloupe shipped by Jensen Farms. Jensen Farms is voluntarily recalling the Rocky Ford cantaloupe it shipped from July 29 through September 10, 2011, because it potentially may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the foodborne pathogen that causes listeriosis.

The Rocky Ford cantaloupe outbreak of listeriosis began on or after August 15, 2011. The victims range in age from 38 to 96, but most have been women over the age of 60. All of them required hospitalization.

Listeriosis is a serious, sometimes fatal infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The disease primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and newborns.

Symptoms include fever and muscle aches, often preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. In more severe cases, there can also be headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, according to the CDC. Pregnant women typically experience only mild, flu-like symptoms. However, infections during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn.

News sources: http://www.springfieldmo.gov/health/getStory.jsp?relid=6941;
http://www.kspr.com/news/local/kspr-confirmed-one-dead-in-greene-county-mo-from-listeria-possibly-linked-to-cantaloupe-recall-20110916,0,2597542.story

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To protect themselves from Listeria infections, serious illness and possible death, consumers need a detailed list of the retailers that received Rocky Ford cantaloupe from Jensen Farms and its distributor Frontera Produce of Edinburg, Texas. The cantaloupe may be contaminated with Liseria monocytogenes, a deadly pathogen.

“The FDA, Jensen Farms and Frontera have put consumers at risk by not immediately publishing a list of retailers that received potentially contaminated Rocky Ford cantaloupe,” said food safety attorney Fred Pritzker. “We are getting contacts from people around the country who are worried about cantaloupe they purchased and/or ate.”

Retailers, including Safeway (Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico (Aztec and Farmington), South Dakota and Wyoming), Whole Foods, King Soopers (Colorado and Wyoming), Albertson’s, Walmart (one lawsuit lists Colorado Springs store) and others, have pulled Rocky Ford cantaloupes off shelves, according to store press releases and news reports. But consumers should not have to get this information piecemeal.

The cantaloupe recall was prompted by an outbreak of Listeria infections (listeriosis) that has sickened people in at least 7 states: Colorado (12), Indiana (1), Nebraska (1), New Mexico (4), Oklahoma (1), Texas (2), and West Virginia (1). Our law firm has also been contacted from people in other states whose loved ones may be part of this outbreak.

There are 22 confirmed cases of listeriosis linked to this outbreak and two deaths, one in Colorado and one in New Mexico. Three other deaths in New Mexico and several illnesses may also be connected to this outbreak.

Evidence Linking Rocky Ford Cantaloupe to Illnesses and Deaths

Among the 19 ill persons with available information on what they ate, all 19 (100%) reported consuming cantaloupes. Ill persons were interviewed about exposures during the month before they became ill; investigators compared their responses to persons with listeriosis reported through the CDC Listeria Initiative, whose illnesses were not part of this outbreak. Several ill persons remembered the type of cantaloupe they had eaten and said they were Rocky Ford cantaloupes, which are grown in the Rocky Ford region of southeastern Colorado. Source tracing of the cantaloupes that ill persons ate indicated that they were produced by Jensen Farms, of Granada, Colorado, and were marketed as being from the Rocky Ford region. These cantaloupes were harvested in August and September.

Laboratory testing by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment identified Listeria monocytogenes bacteria on cantaloupes collected from grocery stores and from an ill person’s home. Product traceback information from Colorado state officials indicated these cantaloupes also came from Jensen Farms.

Attorney Fred Pritzker represents Listeria victims nationwide. He can be reached for at 1-888-377-8900 or by submitting our free consultation form.

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Rocky Ford cantaloupe is being pulled form the shelves of grocery stores throughout New Mexico. A New Mexico listeriosis outbreak has killed four people and sickened six others since mid-August, according to the New Mexico Department of Health.

Some of the New Mexico listeriosis cases have been linked to a multi-state outbreak that has stricken more than two dozen people around the country. DNA fingerprinting has linked these cases to cantaloupe grown by Jensen Farms in the Rocky Ford region of Colorado.

Jensen Farms is voluntarily recalling the Rocky Ford cantaloupe it shipped from July 29 through September 10, 2011, because of potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, the foodborne pathogen that causes listeriosis.

The FDA is warning consumers not to eat Rocky Ford cantaloupe shipped by Jensen Farms, and grocery stores in New Mexico are pulling the melons form their shelves.

Whole Foods Markets and Albertsons have removed Rocky Ford cantaloupes from their stores, according to the Albuquerque Journal. Wal-Mart in Clovis and Portales also removed the cantaloupe from their shelves, according to PNT Online.

Those who became ill live in the following counties: Bernalillo, Chaves, Curry, De Baca, Lea, and Otero. Most of the victims suffered from serious chronic health conditions before contracting listeriosis, according to the Albuquerque Journal.

The national food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., is investigating this outbreak. If you have an illness associated with this outbreak, contact them for a free case consultation at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or by submitting your contact information online.

News Source: http://www.pntonline.com/news/bargman-26715-new-listeria.html

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Our Listeria lawyers are available for a free consultation regarding the New Mexico food poisoning cases of listeriosis that have killed four people and sickened six others since mid-August. DNA fingerprinting has linked five of these cases to Rocky Ford cantaloupe, according to the New Mexico Department of Health.

The fatalities in New Mexico include two Bernalillo County men (Albuquerque area), ages 93 and 63, and a 61-year-old Curry County woman (Clovis area). The residence of the fourth victim who died has not yet been released. Those who became ill live in the following counties: Bernalillo, Chaves, Curry, De Baca, Lea, and  Otero counties. The severity of this outbreak has prompted national food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., to establish a claims center for individuals and families who are harmed.

The FDA is warning consumers not to eat Rocky Ford cantaloupe shipped by Jensen Farms. Jensen Farms is voluntarily recalling the Rocky Ford cantaloupe it shipped from July 29 through September 10, 2011, because it potentially may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the foodborne pathogen that causes listeriosis.

The potentially tainted melons were distributed to at least 17 states including: Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.

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The first cantaloupe listeria lawsuit was filed today by a Colorado family against Walmart and Jensen Farms, according to Fox 31 Denver News. Contact PritzkerOlsen, P.A., for a free consultation.

The plaintiffs are Charles and Tammy Palmer who live in Colorado Springs, which is located in El Paso County, Colorado. According to their complaint, the Palmers bought a whole cantaloupe, grown by Jensen Farms, from the Walmart store in Colorado Springs. Several days later, Charles Palmer sliced and ate some of the cantaloupe. He became ill on August 30 and his condition quickly worsened. By the morning of August 31, he was non-responsive and transported to a hospital by ambulance, where he remains.

At the hospital, Charles Palmer was diagnosed with listeriosis, which was later determined to be the result of eating cantaloupe tainted with the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.

A cantaloupe outbreak of listeriosis has sickened at least 22 people in seven states. Two people, one in New Mexico, one in Colorado have died, according to the Centers for Diseease Control and Prevention (CDC). The confirmed cases are as follows: Colorado (12), Indiana (1), Nebraska (1), New Mexico (4), Oklahoma (1), Texas (2), and West Virginia (1).

Health officials are investigating listeriosis cases in other states including two cases in Montana, one in Gallatin County and one in Yellowstone County, according to the Clark Fork Chronicle.

A person with listeriosis usually has fever and muscle aches, often preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. If you have an illness associated with this outbreak, contact PritzkerOlsen, P. A., for a free case consultation at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or submit contact information online. The law firm of PritzkerOlsen is one of the nation’s leading law firms in foodborne illness. Their attorneys are experts in listeriosis having been involved with every major listeriosis outbreak in the country.

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Our attorneys are investigating a cantaloupe outbreak linked to Rocky Ford cantaloupe grown in Colorado. People in at least seven states have contracted Listeria infections after eating Rocky Ford cantaloupe.

Prompted by the outbreak, Jensen Farms of Holly, Colorado, has recalled cantaloupes shipped between July 29th, 2011 and September 10th 2011, and distributed to the following states: IL, WY, TN, UT, TX, CO, MN, KS, NM, NC, MO, NE, OK, AZ, NJ, NY, PA. 

The recalled cantaloupes have a green and white sticker that reads: Product of USA- Frontera Produce-Colorado Fresh-Rocky Ford-Cantaloupe or a gray, yellow, and green sticker that reads: Jensen Farms-Sweet Rocky Fords. Our attorneys are available for a free consultation regarding a cantaloupe lawsuit.

We are a national food safety law firm. The cantaloupe outbreak has now sickened 22 people in seven states. Two people, one in New Mexico, one in Colorado have died, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  The confirmed cases are as follows: Colorado (12), Indiana (1), Nebraska (1), New Mexico (4), Oklahoma (1), Texas (2), and West Virginia (1). 

The cantaloupe was sold at retailers nationwide, including Wal-Mart, Whole Foods Market, Safeway and others. Safeway has pulled the melons from its 118 supermarkets in Colorado. Whole Foods Market has removed the cantaloupes from all 27 in the Rocky Mountain region, which includes Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas and Utah.

Illnesses associated with this outbreak began on or after August 15, 2011. The victims range in age from 38 to 96 years, but most are women over 60.

Listeriosis is caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The disease primarily affects older adults,  people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women, and newborns. 

A person with listeriosis usually has fever and muscle aches, often preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. If you have an illness associated with this outbreak, contact PritzkerOlsen, P.A., for a free case consultation at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or submit contact information online.

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Rocky Ford Colorado cantaloupe grown by Jensen Farms are being recalled due to a Listeria health risk in the midst of a cantaloupe Listeria outbreak that has killed two people and seriously sickened at least 20 others in seven states.

The latest cantaloupe Listeria update shows the outbreak has spread to West Virginia. Colorado and New Mexico are hardest hit. One person from each of those states has died from an infection of Listeria monocytogenes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. "Listeriosis illnesses in several other states are currently being investigated by state and local health departments to determine if they are part of this outbreak.''  All illnesses started on or after August 15.

CDC has said there is strong evidence the outbreak originated in the Rocky Ford cantaloupe growing region of Southeast Colorado and a headline on the CDC's latest update says the following:

"Multistate Outbreak of Listeriosis Linked to Rocky Ford Cantaloupes from Jensen Farms''

Source tracing of the cantaloupes that ill persons ate indicated that they were produced by Jensen Farms and were marketed as being from the Rocky Ford region. These cantaloupes were harvested in August and September, were distributed widely in the United States, and may still be available in grocery stores, the CDC said. Images of Jensen Farms whole cantaloupes were published in the recall notice by the Food and Drug Administration. Jensen Farms is a 3rd generation family farm of the Holly, Colorado. 

The severity and urgency of this outbreak has prompted national food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., to establish a claims center for individuals and families who are harmed. Outbreaks of listeriosis are preventable and cantaloupe growers are aware of industry practices designed to ensure wholesome product. Cantaloupe lawsuit case consultations are available at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or by reaching the firm online with basic contact information. There is no charge for this discussion of your legal options.

Pritzker Olsen Attorneys is headed by Fred Pritzker, a nationally recognized leader in foodborne illness litigation who has recorded numerous Listeria lawsuit rulings and settlements, including a $6 million settlement in a very difficult case involving a major brand of sliced turkey. 

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Jensen Farms, of Holly, CO is voluntarily recalling their shipments of Rocky Ford whole cantaloupe because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria. The company is working with the State of Colorado and the FDA to inform consumers of this cantaloupe recall.

The Jensen Farms cantaloupes in question were shipped between July 29th, 2011 and September 10th 2011, and distributed to the following states: IL, WY, TN, UT, TX, CO, MN, KS, NM, NC, MO, NE, OK, AZ, NJ, NY, PA. The whole cantaloupes have a green and white sticker that reads: Product of USA- Frontera Produce-Colorado Fresh-Rocky Ford- Cantaloupe or a gray, yellow, and green sticker that reads: Jensen Farms-Sweet Rocky Fords.

If you purchased a whole cantaloupe that is unlabeled, please contact your retail store for sourcing information.

Jensen Farms is requesting any consumer that may have one of these cantaloupes to please destroy the products. The recall involves only whole cantaloupe shipped by Jensen Farms, and no other commodities are involved. Jensen Farms feels it is prudent to participate in the recall as the State of Colorado has stated (in their September 12th, 2011 press release) that people at a high risk for infection should not eat whole cantaloupe from the Rocky Ford growing region. “

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that can contaminate foods and cause a mild non-invasive illness (called listerial gastroenteritis) or a severe, sometimes life-threatening, illness (called invasive listeriosis). Persons who have the greatest risk of experiencing listeriosis after consuming foods contaminated with Listeria are fetuses and neonates who are infected after the mother is exposed to Listeria during pregnancy, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems.

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The cantaloupe outbreak of listeriosis has moved into Indiana bringing the total of confirmed cases to 16, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The number of cases identified in each state is as follows: Colorado (11), Indiana (1), Nebraska (1), Oklahoma (1), and Texas (2).

Listeriosis illnesses in several other states are currently being investigated by state and local health departments to determine if they are part of this outbreak. In New Mexico, state health officials have now identified 10 people who have been sickened with listeriosis, three of them have died. 

Listeriosis is a serious, sometimes fatal infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The CDC has linked this outbreak to eating cantaloupes marketed as coming from the Rocky Ford region of Colorado and is recommending that those at high risk for listeriosis, including older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women, do not eat cantaloupes marketed as coming from the that region.

This cantaloupe outbreak of listeriosis began on or after August 15, 2011. The victims range in age from 38 to 96, but most have been women over the age of 60. All of them required hospitalization.

Illnesses that occurred after August 26, 2011, might not be reported yet due to the lag between the time a person becomes ill and the time the illness is reported. Furthermore, there may be others who ate the tainted melon who are not showing symptoms yet. In some cases, the incubation period for listeriosis can be as long as 70 days, but symptoms usually appear within a month.

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The Colorado state health department expects test results later this week that may help identify the specific source of the cantaloupe linked to a deadly Listeria outbreak affecting Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Indiana. (Updated September 14, 2011.)

That's the word from  Rick Ritter, director of Otero County Health Department in the Rocky Ford region of Colorado -- the recently harvested cantaloupe area linked to the outbreak by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the FDA and state epidemiologists.

But for now, officials are still uncertain which cantaloupe fields are the source of the outbreak strain of Listeria, Ritter told the Pueblo Chieftan newspaper. Ritter has heard from cantaloupe growers who think the link is false or unfair, but he says the conclusion is based on science.

"The state health department is trying to protect the people who could get sick and possibly die,'' he told the Chieftan.

So far there has been one Listeria death in Colorado and three more in New Mexico. Meanwhile, New Mexico public health officials have issued a voluntary recall notice to produce retailers, requesting that any cantaloupe grown in the Rocky Ford region be temporarily pulled.

The CDC, too, is advising consumers nationwide not to eat Rocky Ford cantaloupe.

A Rocky Ford cantaloupe lawsuit could result from this outbreak and Listeria lawyers at PritzkerOlsen, P.A., have established a claim center for those who have lost loved ones or been hospitalized themselves. Many of the victims are elderly because the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes is most likely to affect people in the advanced age group. Pregnant women and their babies also are at exceptional risk. Lawsuit consultations are available at no charge by calling 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or submit your contact information online to the firm.

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Our attorneys are investigating a Listeria outbreak in several states linked to Rocky Ford cantaloupe grown in Colorado. Contact our law firm for a free consultation.

A national cantaloupe recall has not been ordered by government officials or undertaken by producers, but grocery stores in Colorado are voluntarily pulling Rocky Ford melons from their shelves in response to a listeriosis outbreak associated with the fruit, according to a story in the Denver Post.

King Soopers, Safeway and Whole Foods are removing the melons from their stores. King Soopers and City Market stores are removing Rocky Ford melons from 142 stores, and Safeway is removing the melons from its 138 stores in Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, South Dakota and New Mexico, according to the story. Wholes Foods is removing the cantaloupes from its shelves.

The cantaloupe recall informally undertaken by the grocery stores is in response to a listeriosis outbreak associated with eating cantaloupes from the Rocky Ford growing region in Colorado.

Albuquerque, where three people died, has issued its own recall: (Updated September 14, 2011.)

Based on a Department of Health advisory, the City of Albuquerque, Environmental Health Department, Consumer Health Protection Division is issuing a voluntary recall notice to local produce retailers, requesting that cantaloupe grownin the Rocky Ford growing area of southern Colorado be temporarily pulled from store shelves.  This action is being taken as a precaution pending findings of an FDA investigation into several cases of illness and at least 3 deaths.  Preliminary indications suggest that several cases of food-borne Listeriosishave been linked to consumption of cantaloupe.

Citizens are advised to refrain from purchasing or handling cantaloupe grown in the Rocky Ford growing area.  If cantaloupe has already been purchased, citizens should not eat the product; thorough hand-washing and sanitation of food preparation areas is advised if the product has already been handled.

Listeriosis is a bacterial infection associated with certain food products.  Symptoms can range from mild gastro-intestinal  upset to severe symptoms including meningitis and death.  Onset is typically within 48 hours for gastro-intestinal symptoms; meningitis could take up 2-6 weeks to develop.

If you contracted listeriosis associated with this outbreak and need legal advice, contact the Listeria experts at PritzkerOlsen, P.A  toll free at 1(888)377-8900.

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A cantaloupe outbreak of listeriosis that began in Colorado is spreading through the southwest. Sixteen people have confirmed cases of listeriosis after eating Rocky Ford cantaloupe. There is one confirmed death and 3 additional suspected deaths. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed that illnesses from the outbreak include: Colorado (11), Texas (2), Nebraska (1), Indiana (1) and Oklahoma (1).  Testing is still pending in other states including New Mexico, where three people died and six others were sickened by listeriosis after eating cantaloupe. (Updated September 14, 2011.)

Our attorneys represent victims of Listeria food poisoning nationwide. Contact them for a free consultation.

Listeriosis is a serious, sometimes fatal infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The disease primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and newborns.

Symptoms include fever and muscle aches, often preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. In more severe cases, there can also be headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, according to the CDC. Pregnant women typically experience only mild, flu-like symptoms. However, infections during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn.

The cantaloupe outbreak of listeriosis began on or after August 15, 2011. The victims range in age from 38 to 96, but most have been women over the age of 60. All of them required hospitalization.
Illnesses that occurred after August 26, 2011, might not be reported yet due to the lag between the time a person becomes ill and the time the illness is reported. Furthermore, there may be others who ate the tainted melon who are not showing symptoms yet. In some cases, the incubation period for listeriosis can be as long as 70 days, but symptoms usually appear within a month.

There has not been a nationwide cantaloupe recall, but Albuquerque has recalled all cantaloupe from the Rocky Ford cantaloupe grown in Colorado.

Listeria attorneys at PritzkerOlsen, P.A., have launched an investigation into this cantaloupe outbreak. For a free consultation regarding a cantaloupe lawsuit,  submit our free consultation form or call them toll free at 1(888)377-8900.

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Rocky Ford cantaloupes, melons grown in the Rocky Ford region of southeastern Colorado, are the likely source of a Listeria outbreak that has killed one person, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Confirmed illnesses from the outbreak include: Colorado (11), Texas (2), Nebraska (1), Indiana (1) and Oklahoma (1). (Updated September 14, 2011.) Testing is still pending in other states including New Mexico, where three people died and six others were sickened by listeriosis after eating cantaloupe.

Rocky Ford is located in the Arkansas Valley of Colorado, the river valley that runs from Turquoise Lake near Leadville to the Kansas state line. Farmers have been growing cantaloupes and watermelons there since 1895. It’s the birthplace of commercial cantaloupe production in the U.S.

Up until now, Rocky Ford melons have been famous for their especially sweet taste. With an average sugar content of 12 percent,  2 percent higher than most melons, Rocky Ford melons often achieve USDA “extra fancy” status.

During this outbreak, people at high risk for Listeria: the elderly, the immunocompromised and pregnant women, should not eat Rocky Ford melons, public health officials are advising.

Listeriosis is caused by eating foods contaminated with Listeria. Symptoms of listeriosis include: fever and muscle aches, often preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. “Almost everyone who is diagnosed with listeriosis has "invasive" infection, in which the bacteria spread from the intestines to the blood stream or other body sites,” according to the CDC.

Symptoms vary with the infected person but can include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. Pregnant women typically experience only a mild, flu-like illness. However, infections during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn, according to the CDC.

In this outbreak, victims’ ages range from 38 to 96 years. Most are females over 60. All of them were sick enough to be hospitalized. 

If you have legal questions about a listeriosis case associated with this outbreak, Listeria lawyers at PritzkerOlsen P.A. can help. Contact them toll free at 1 (888) 377-8900 or submit our free consultation form.

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A type of cantaloupe called Rocky Ford cantaloupes of Colorado are the likely source of a multi-state outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed. There has been one confirmed death and 15 confirmed Listeria illnesses in Colorado (11), Texas (2), Nebraska (1) and Oklahoma (1).

In its first report on the cantaloupe Listeria outbreak, the CDC said other states could also be involved and tests are pending.  New Mexico, for instance, has reported three Listeria deaths in people who recently ate fresh cantaloupe. Six other New Mexico cantaloupe Listeria cases are suspected.

Cantaloupes that belonged to a Listeria case patient in Colorado and others gathered from grocery stores have tested positive for the bacteria and a traceback investigation shows they were harvested in the Rocky Ford region, the CDC reported. Investigators still are trying to pinpoint the cause. Grown in southeast Colorado, the fruit was harvested in August and September and widely distributed in the United States and could be available at various grocery stores nationwide.

"Preliminary results strongly suggest that illnesses are linked to consumption of cantaloupes,'' the CDC said. But no recall has been announced.

CDC now advises persons throughout the mainland United States and at high risk for listeriosis, including older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women, to not eat cantaloupes marketed as coming from the Rocky Ford region of Colorado.

• All illnesses started on or after August 15, 2011.
• The number of infected persons identified in each state is as follows:  Colorado (11), Nebraska (1), Oklahoma (1), and Texas (2).
• Listeriosis illnesses in New Mexico and several other states are currently being investigated.
• Ages range from 38 to 96 years, with a median age of 84 years old.
• Most ill persons are over 60 years old or have health conditions that weaken the immune system. Seventy-three percent of ill persons are female.
• All 15 confirmed case patients were hospitalized.
• Laboratory testing by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment confirms Listeria monocytogenes bacteria on cantaloupe harvested in the Rocky Ford Region.
• FDA is working closely with CDC, the firms involved, and state public health authorities to determine the exact source of contamination.
• No recall yet. Specific growers and distributors have not been named.

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Three New Mexico Listeria deaths and seven illnesses may be part of a multi-state outbreak associated with contaminated cantaloupe, state officials in New Mexico announced. (Updated September 14, 2011.)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is conducting DNA fingerprint testing to determine if the New Mexico outbreak is an extension of the cantaloupe Listeria outbreak in Colorado, Texas and Nebraska. One confirmed Listeria death is part of the outbreak in Colorado, where officials are closer to identifying the specific source of contaminated melon. The Colorado agency investigating the outbreak is warning consumers not to eat cantaloupes from the popular Rocky Ford growing region in Colorado.

"The department expects additional test results later this week that may help identify the specific source of the cantaloupe linked to the multistate outbreak,'' said Dr. Chris Urbina, chief medical officer for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

In New Mexico, state Health Secretary Dr. Catherine Torres expressed sympathy to the family and friends of loved ones who have died in the outbreak. "At this time, based on the preliminary findings in Colorado, we are cautioning people who are at high risk for Listeria infection to avoid eating cantaloupe,'' Torres said.

Reporting out of Santa Fe, New Mexico, the Associated Press said the New MexicoThe fatal cases were a 93-year-old man and 63-year-old woman from Bernalillo County and a 61-year-old woman from Curry County. The nonfatal cases in were in Bernalillo, Chaves, Otero, De Baca, Valencia and Lea counties. The victims range in age from 43 to 96 and include four men and six women, according to the New Mexico Business Weekly. August 20 was the first onset of illness. (Updated September 14, 2011.) 

If you or a loved one is experiencing Listeria symptoms,and you think you might be part of this outbreak, immediately contact your physician. For answers to legal questions regarding a possible cantaloupe Listeria lawsuit, call national food poisoning attorney PritzkerOlsen, P.A., 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or submit your contact information via the internet and an attorney will call you back.

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The average American eats more than eight pounds of cantaloupe each year, where does it come from? From mid summer through late fall, over 90 percent of cantaloupes sold in the U.S. come from the central California growing region, according to the California Cantaloupe Advisory Board (CCAB).

This board, formed in 1988, represents most of the hundreds of cantaloupe growers and shippers in central California and prides itself in saying that there has never been a foodborne illness outbreak associated with California cantaloupes.

Most cantaloupes bear a sticker identifying their country of origin. Total U.S. imports of cantaloupes were valued at $117.3 million in 2004, according to the Agricultural Issues Center at the University of California, Davis. The three largest importers of cantaloupe are: Guatemala, 41.1 percent; Costa Rica, 32.3 percent and Mexico 4.1 percent.

At one time, Mexico was the largest supplier of cantaloupes to the United States. But after a series of Salmonella outbreaks were traced back to a Mexican source, imports plummeted from 27.9 percent in 2000 to 4.1 percent in 2004.

After a major outbreak in 2002, U.S. and Canadian governments began requiring Mexican exporters to certify that their cantaloupes are produced under proper conditions before they can be shipped to North American markets.

California cantaloupes are grown using the standardized principles of “Good Agricultural Practices” and are subject to mandatory inspections, according to CCAB. Most are packed directly from the field into shipping boxes to reduce handling and lesson the likelihood of exposure to pathogens,

A cantaloupe Listeria outbreak in Colorado, Nebraska and Texas which began last month has killed one person and sickened at least 11 others. Federal, state and local health investigators have not identified the source of the melons.
 

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Multi-state Listeria outbreaks in the United States have killed at least 44 people since 1998, including one Listeria death in the current cantaloupe Listeria outbreak in Colorado, Texas and Nebraska.

From 1998 through 2009, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported eight multi-state outbreaks of listeriosis, usually from the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, according to  the CDC's  Foodborne Outbreak Online Database. A review of those records by national food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., shows that the outbreaks caused 244 case-confirmed illnesses in that time. Another nine confirmed Listeria illnesses along the front range in Colorado can now be added to that total, along with at least three more cases from the same outbreak in Texas and Nebraska.

Cantaloupe has been identified as the likely cause of the current multi-state Listeria outbreak, but officials have not yet pinpointed where the contaminated fruit originated. Consequently, there is no recall to report. The federal records reviewed by the Listeria legal team at Pritzker Olsen Attorneys show the following foods were agents in past multi-state outbreaks of the disease: sliced turkey, Mexican-style soft cheese, sprouts, meat pate and hot dogs.

The hot dog outbreak in October 1998  was the biggest of the multi-state Listeria outbreaks. A total of 101 people were sickened and 21 died -- a testament to the lethal force of Listeria monocytogenes infections The CDC linked that outbreak to hot dogs, but never identified the specific origin.

That is the case currently in the cantaloupes outbreak in the Colorado counties of Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Denver, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer and Weld. Pritzker Olsen founder and president Fred Pritzker is investigating and has urged public health officials to make their findings transparent as quickly as possible for the benefit of consumers. 

Many of the large Listeria outbreaks chronicled by the CDC are extremely familiar to Pritzker as a lawyer for victims on the front lines. In one of the outbreaks related to sliced turkey in which numerous people died, Pritzker represented families in successful Listeria lawsuits against the manufacturers. One settlement was for $6 million and Fred has represented other Listeria victims in other multi-million dollar cases.

It is important for victims and their families to understand their legal rights and remedies. A good Listeria lawyer will have the experience needed to know who is responsible for the harm done to you and how best to proceed with a lawsuit. For a free case consultation call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or submit your contact information and a lawyer will call you.

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The multi-state cantaloupe Listeria outbreak  in Colorado, Texas and Nebraska comes on the heels of a compelling action by Del Monte Fresh Produce that is still reverberating in food safety circles and could potentially have a chilling effect on the government’s Listeria investigation.

Del Monte Fresh Produce is a major seller of cantaloupe in the United States. Earlier this year the company issued a major recall of cantaloupes harvested from a single farm in Guatemala after federal health officials associated the fruit with an outbreak of Salmonella Panama that sickened 20 people in 10 states. Oregon’s state health department was central to the investigation.

The outbreak ended in June and months went by without any news. But very recently, Del Monte filed a notice to sue the Oregon public health unit and its chief epidemiologist. The company put Oregon on notice that the state agency’s “conduct and misleading allegations’’ linked Del Monte cantaloupes to the Salmonella outbreak “despite the lack of sufficient factual basis.''

The company also has taken legal against against the FDA in an effort to lift an FDA rule restricting the importation of  fresh cantaloupes into the United States.

Listeria lawyer Fred Pritzker and other national experts in the area of foodborne illness litigation are now wondering if the legal steps taken by Del Monte will make public health officials overly cautious about linking individual producers and distributors to outbreaks. Any unnecessary hesitation would be harmful to consumers who need as much information as quickly possible to protect their families against dangerous pathogenic bacteria in the food supply.

“We are watching closely,’’ Pritzker said. “The system depends on fearless transparency.’’

Pritzker has begun to investigate the situation on his own for the sake of consumers. He can be reached at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or via contact information online. Pritzker is founder and president of Pritzker Olsen Attorneys. He is a leading national Listeria lawyer who has won several important decisions and millions of dollars in settlements against major food producers for negligence in food safety. 

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Cantaloupe has been linked to two multi-state outbreaks of foodborne illness this year one caused by Salmonella, this other by Listeria. Together the outbreaks have killed at least one person and caused dozens of others to become seriously ill.

While the cantaloupe Listeria outbreak is ongoing, public health officials recommend that consumers avoid eating that variety of melon. In the future, there are some things consumers can do to reduce their risk of contracting a foodborne illness from cantaloupe. The following recommendations are from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services:

• Purchase cantaloupes that are not bruised or damaged.  If buying fresh-cut cantaloupe, be sure it is refrigerated or surrounded by ice.
• After purchase, refrigerate cantaloupes promptly.
• Wash hands with hot, soapy water before and after handling fresh cantaloupes.
• Scrub whole cantaloupes by using a clean produce brush and cool tap water immediately before eating. Don't use soap or detergents.
• Use clean cutting surfaces and utensils when cutting cantaloupes. Wash cutting boards, countertops, dishes, and utensils with hot water and soap between the preparation of raw meat, poultry, or seafood, and the preparation of cantaloupe.
• If there happens to be a bruised or damaged area on a cantaloupe, cut away those parts before eating it.
• Leftover cut cantaloupe should be discarded if left at room temperature for more than two hours.
• Use a cooler with ice or use ice gel-packs when transporting or storing cantaloupes outdoors.

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Over the last four decades, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has never had a documented listeriosis outbreak linked to cantaloupe, until now. The cantaloupe listeriosis outbreak which began in Colorado and has spread to Texas and Nebraska, may be the first of its kind.

Researchers who reviewed all 28 cantaloupe-associated outbreaks that were reported to the CDC between 1973 and 2003 found that four pathogens were responsible for all of them: Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. Coli and Norovirus, according to a 2005 study published by researchers at the CDC and the University of Georgia. The same is true for eight of the nine cantaloupe-associated outbreaks since 2003. Only the current outbreak is related to Listeria.

“Compared with most other foodborne pathogens, listeriosis is rare and very dangerous. In the United States, an estimated 1,600 people become seriously ill with listeriosis each year. Of these, 260 die,” said Fred Pritzker, a nationally recognized Listeria lawyer.

Listeriosis is a rare, potentially fatal infection caused by the foodborne pathogen Listeria. At particulcar risk are the elderly, the immunocompromised and pregnant women, who are 20 times more likely to get listeriosis than other healthy adults.

The foods most often cited as potential risks are: uncooked meats or vegetables, smoked fish, hot dogs, deli meats, meat spreads, pates and unpasteurized soft cheeses. 

Onset of symptoms for the more mild form of listeriosis usually begin within a day after eating contaminated food. But the incubation period for the more serious form of the disease is generally much longer - up to 90 days after exposure

Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, diarrhea, headache, stiff neck, confusion and convulsions. These symptoms can be followed by septicemia (blood poisoning) or meningitis, both of which can be fatal. For pregnant women, listeriosis can result in miscarriage, stillbirth or the birth of a baby with serious illness.

The Listeria experts at PritzkerOlsen, P.A. have been involved in every major Listeria outbreak in the country. If you have legal questions about a listeriosis illness, contact them toll-free at (888-377-8900).

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Cantaloupe has recently been associated with several large outbreaks of foodborne illness in the United States. A Salmonella outbreak that, in March, sickened a dozen people in Oregon, Washington, California and Maryland, prompted a recall of almost 5,000 cartons of cantaloupe believed to be tainted with Salmonella. Now a Listeria cantaloupe outbreak is sweeping through Colorado, Nebraska and Texas has killed one person and hospitalized at least 11 others.

Foodborne illness outbreaks from cantaloupe aren’t new, but they are on the rise. “Since 1994, outbreaks of infections associated with cantaloupe consumption have been reported with increased frequency,” according to a 2005 study published by researchers at the CDC and the University of Georgia, Center for Food Safety and Department of Food Science and Technology.

Researchers reviewed all cantaloupe-associated outbreaks that were reported to the CDC between 1973 and 2003 and found that 28 outbreaks occurred, sickening 1,615 people, hospitalizing 57 and killing two.The pathogens involved were Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. Coli and Norovirus. There have been nine more outbreaks since 2003. Eight of them were caused by those same four pathogens. The current outbreak, which began in Colorado, is the first related to Listeria.

Documented cases of foodborne illness in cantaloupe are growing, but the problem is probably even greater than we know, researchers say.

"Although we report more than 1600 cases of illness associated with cantaloupe consumption in the United States and Canada during the past 30 years, the true burden of foodborne disease associated with cantaloupes is probably much greater.”

The increase in the number of outbreaks is consistent with an increase in outbreak reporting, an increase in consumption of fresh produce in general and an increase in cantaloupe consumption in particular, the report states. In the U.S., per capita consumption of cantaloupe increased from 5.8 lbs in 1980 to 11.3 lbs in 2002, researchers found.

All of the outbreaks studied over the 30-year period and the nine that have occurred since involve raw cantaloupe. Cantaloupes can become contaminated at various points from farm to table including pre-harvest, during harvest, packing, storage, processing and preparation. Researchers found examples of contamination at each of these points in their 30-year study. 

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The Colorado Listeria outbreak associated with Cantaloupe -- an outbreak that has now spread to at least two other states, Texas and Nebraska -- is novel in two important ways, according to food safety lawyer Fred Pritzker.

First of all, few if any outbreaks involving cantaloupes and Listeria have been documented in the United States. Listeria outbreaks are more commonly linked to ready-to-eat meats, soft cheeses, raw milk, ham salads and other store-made salads, hot dogs, smoked seafood and meat spreads. Fresh vegetables such as kale and other leafy greens have at times been associated with Listeria outbreaks, but cantaloupe is customarily dangerous for other bacteria: namely Salmonella, Campylobacter and E. coli.

The Colorado cantaloupe Listeria outbreak has killed one person and sickened at least eight others in that state. More cases could be confirmed soon depending on lab test results. Texas has two cases and Nebraska also has one that officials have grouped into the same outbreak.

This brings us to the second unusual dimension of this outbreak: There is notification that the Listeria outbreak is tied to cantaloupe without a corresponding recall of product. Officials say they are still investigating where the contaminated fruit is coming from. This uncertainty is likely to have a major effect on the entire industry until the contamination is pinpointed.

The FDA, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have all joined the health departments in Colorado, Texas and Nebraska in a major traceback investigation.

For now, families and individuals who have been sickened in this outbreak can have their legal questions answered by Listeria lawyers at Pritzker Olsen Attorneys 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free). Founder Fred Pritzker has been involved in numerous Listeria lawsuits of considerable weight, including a very difficult case on the East Coast against two major food producers that resulted in a $6 million settlement.

It is important for victims and their families to understand their legal rights and remedies. A good Listeria lawyer will have the experience needed to know who is responsible for the harm done to you and how best to proceed with a lawsuit. Please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit your contact information for a free case consultation.

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Now additional work must be done with assistance from federal agencies to trace where the contaminated melon is coming from. "The information should be released as quickly as humanly possible to protect others from contracting this dangerous disease,'' said Pritzker, founder and president of Pritzker Olsen Attorneys.

"The system must put consumers first,'' Pritzker said in a news release.

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A cantaloupe Listeria outbreak like the one now spreading through Colorado, Nebraska and Texas, is uncommon but not surprising, according to foodborne illness expert Fred Pritzker.

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria found in soil and water. Listeriosis outbreaks often involve ready-to eat meats, deli meats, hot dogs, unpasteurized soft cheeses, and smoked seafood. However, fresh, uncooked produce can also be a source.

“The pathogen has been detected in a number of fresh market produce items including cabbage, cucumbers, potatoes, celery and radishes among others. Moreover, cantaloupes have repeatedly been implicated in outbreaks involving Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7 and Norovirus,” said Pritzker, founder and president of PritzkerOlsen P.A.

The cantaloupe listeriosis outbreak currently includes nine confirmed cases in Colorado, two in Texas and one in Nebraska. State, federal and local public health investigators are working to investigate the specific source of the outbreak, according to a press release issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

The law firm of PritzkerOlsen, P.A., which has been involved in every major Listeria outbreak in the United States, is also investigating the outbreak. If you need legal advice regarding this Listeria outbreak, contact the law firm of Pritzker Olsen, P.A. for a free consultation or call toll-free at (888)-377-8900.

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Colorado’s Listeria outbreak is likely being caused by cantaloupe and the outbreak now potentially includes two cases in Texas and one in Nebraska, according to Colorado’s Department of Public Health and Environment.

While Colorado public health officials have reported 13 confirmed cases of listeriosis, just nine of those are definitely linked to the multi-state outbreak, officials are saying. The remaining four cases either have lab results pending or are not linked. Two people have died and one of those Listeria deaths is linked to the outbreak.  

Confirmed Listeria cases in Colorado are in the following counties: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Denver, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer and Weld. The people range in age from 30s to 90s. The average age is 84.  The majority are female. 

All nine of Colorado’s case patients consumed cantaloupe, the state agency said in a press release. A specific source of the contaminated product has not yet been identified. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is coordinating the multistate investigation, which includes three state health departments, the FDA and the USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service.

“While the investigation into the source of the Listeria outbreak is continuing, it is prudent for people who are at high risk for Listeria infection to avoid consumption of cantaloupe,” said Dr. Chris Urbina, chief medical officer of the Colorado health department.

Those at highest risk are pregnant women, young children, people over 60 and anyone with a compromised immune system.

Listeria lawyer Fred Pritzer, founder and president of PritzkerOlsen, P. A., has extensive experience representing outbreak victims and has filed numerous Listeria lawsuits, once winning a $6,000,000 settlement on a very difficult case. For a free consultation with a listeriosis attorney, please contact Fred at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete this free case consultation form.

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Two people have died in an outbreak of Listeria infections (listeriosis) in Colorado that includes 11 additional cases. When a company or other party is legally responsible for a person's death, the law allows the family of the decedent to sue those responsible for money damages. This is called a "wrongful death" lawsuit.

For families of listeriosis victims, a wrongful death lawsuit cannot be filed until there is some evidence of the cause of the outbreak, which is almost always contaminated food. In this outbreak, the source is likely cantaloupe. This means the grower, distributor(s) and others may be liable.

This cantaloupe listeriosis outbreak has spread to Nebraska, Texas and nine counties in Colorado,  including Adams, Arapahoe Boulder, Denver, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer and Weld.

Our Listeria lawyers know what needs to be done to build a wrongful death case. They have won millions for listeriosis victims and their families. Contact them for a free consultation.

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A listeriosis outbreak in Colorado has sickened nine people since the beginning of August. One of them died.

Health officials believe the likely source of the listeriosis outbreak is cantaloupe. (This information was updated on September 9.)

The outbreak has spread to Texas (2 cases), Nebraska (1 case), and through nine Colorado counties including Adams, Arapahoe Boulder, Denver, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer and Weld.

Channel 7 News in Denver interviewed the daughter of one of the victims:

One of those infected with listeria is Shelly Occhipinti-Krout, a 48-year-old mother of three who was brought to Parker Adventist hospital on Saturday.

"It went from the hospital to her having cardiac arrest at the hospital to being in a coma, pretty much," said Occhipinti-Krout's daughter, Tiffany Weider. "I just definitely wouldn't want to see anybody else have to go through this."

Because Listeria can incubate for as long as 70 days, it can be difficult to pinpoint the source or sources of a listeriosis outbreak. Colorado health officials have looked at the epidemiological evidence and reviewed the DNA fingerprints (PFGE patterns) for the listeria cases. The evidence points to cantaloupe as being the source of the outbreak.

Listeriosis is a rare, potentially fatal infection that can occur after food contaminated with

bacteria is ingested. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, diarrhea, headache, stiff neck, confusion and convulsions.

National food safety experts at PritzkerOlsen, P.A., have been investigating this outbreak. If you have legal questions regarding an illness or hospitalization associated with this outbreak, contact our listeriosis attorneys online or call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free).

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Most kinds of bacteria grow rapidly between temperatures of 40 and 140 degrees F, some doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes. But Listeria, which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infection, thrives in cold temperatures.

Listeria, which can be killed by pasteurization and cooking, is most often present in uncooked meats, uncooked vegetables, unpasteurized milk and foods made from unpasteurized milk. Processed foods such as soft cheeses, hot dogs and ready-to-eat deli meats may become contaminated at the plant after cooking and before packaging.

Pregnant women, young children and people who have weak immune systems are at highest risk of contracting listeriosis. While a Listeria infection may cause only a mild illness in a pregnant woman, consequences for the baby may include, miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth or a potentially fatal infection after birth, according the Mayo Clinic.

Symptoms of infection can begin as early as a few days or take as long as two months after consuming contaminated food. They include fever, muscle aches, nausea and diarrhea. If the infection spreads to your nervous system, signs and symptoms may include: headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions.

Each year, 1,600 people become seriously ill and 415 die from listeriosis, according the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority of cases are sporadic, making epidemiological links to food very difficult.

In Colorado, an outbreak of Listeria has killed two people and sent at least seven others to the hospital. Colorado health officials are investigating to find the cause of these illnesses. Most of the patients are women in their 30s to 90s.

National food safety experts at PritzkerOlsen, P.A., are also investigating the Colorado listeriosis outbreak. If you have legal questions regarding a possible claim caused by this dangerous foodborne illness, contact our listeriosis attorneys for a free consultation.  

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Four-ounce packages with a SELL BY Date and Code of DEC 15 2011 01961B are being voluntarily recalled due to the potential for contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, a human pathogen that can grow at refrigerator temperatures and can cause death and serious illness. Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths. Most at risk for infection are young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. 

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Colorado state health officials are working to determine the source of a listeriosis outbreak along the Front Range that has killed two people and hospitalized seven others. Most of the patients are women in their 30s to 90s who live in Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Denver, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson or Weld counties, according to the health department. 

Eating food contaminated with Listeria can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal infection. Each year, 1,600 people become seriously ill from listeriosis. Of these, 260 die according the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those at highest risk include older adults, pregnant women and people with immune compromising conditions. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, diarrhea, headache, stiff neck, confusion and convulsions. Listeriosis also can cause miscarriages and stillbirths.

Foods of particular concern include :

• Hot dogs, luncheon meats, cold cuts, other deli meats (e.g., bologna), or fermented or dry sausages unless they are heated to an internal temperature of 165 F, or until steaming hot just before serving.
• Refrigerated smoked seafood, such as salmon, trout, whitefish, cod, tuna and mackerel, is most often labeled as "nova-style," "lox," "kippered," "smoked" or "jerky."
• Unpasteurized soft cheese such as feta, queso blanco, queso fresco, brie, Camembert, blue-veined or panela (queso panela). 

National food safety experts at PritzkerOlsen, P.A., are investigating the Colorado listeriosis outbreak. Our firm is one of the very few in the country with extensive experience in foodborne illness litigation and we have won millions of dollars for past Listeria outbreak victims. If you have legal questions regarding compensation for harms brought by an infection in this outbreak, contact our listeriosis attorneys online or call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free). Case consultations with a lawyer are free.

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Two Listeria deaths in Colorado and a rush of seven other Listeria hospitalizations -- all coming toward the end of August -- prompted the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to issue a listeriosis warning on the cusp of Labor Day Weekend.

Colorado residents -- especially on the front range from Weld County to El Paso County -- are on alert to avoid certain foods prone to contamination and take special cooking precautions. A state laboratory is trying to get a DNA fingerprint for the nine Listeria cases. The fingerprint is critical to tracing the outbreak to whatever food is causing it.

One of the women sickened in the outbreak almost died and is still hospitalized, her daughter told ABC News affiliate 7News in Denver. Tiffany Weider said her mother, Shelly Occhipinti-Krout, has been critically ill at Parker Adventist Hospital. "I just definitely wouldn't want to see anybody else have to go through this,'' Tiffany said.

National food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., has handled many listeriosis cases, including several that resulted in multi-million dollar claims. Contact our listeriosis attorneys for a free consultation.

Listeriosis, the infection caused by Listeria monocytogenes, is a rare human disease, but it has a 20-30 percent fatality rate and can have serious clinical manifestations in susceptible population groups, including pregnant women, fetuses, the elderly and people who have weakened immune systems. Listeria symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, difficulty breathing, and poor feeding. Pregnant women who develop listeriosis may experience only mild flu-like symptoms, although they are at risk for premature delivery, miscarriage, and stillbirth.

Colorado Listeria Warning  

• Do not eat refrigerated smoked seafood, unless it is contained in a cooked dish, such as a casserole, or unless it is a canned or shelf-stable product. Refrigerated smoked seafood, such as salmon, cod, tuna and mackerel, is most often labeled as "nova-style," "lox," "kippered," "smoked" or "jerky." Canned and shelf-stable tuna, salmon and other fish products are safe to eat. 
• Do not eat soft cheese such as feta, queso blanco, queso fresco, brie, Camembert, blueveined or panela (queso panela) unless it is labeled as made with pasteurized milk. Make sure the label says, "made with pasteurized milk." 

• Heat hot dogs and deli meats to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Clean spilled fluid from packaging from all surfaces Wash hands after handling. Avoid eating refrigerated pates or meat spreads.

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Children's Hospital Colorado says it very well: Listeria infection is rare, but when it does occur it most frequently affects pregnant women in their last trimester, the fetus, newborns, and kids and adults whose immunity is weakened by diseases such as cancer or HIV. People who have had various types of transplants are also more at risk for listeriosis.

A person can ingest Listeria monocytogenes bacteria by eating certain foods, such as ready-to-eat deli meats and cold cuts, soft-ripened cheese, raw milk, undercooked chicken, uncooked hot dogs, shellfish, and coleslaw made from contaminated cabbage. In Colorado right now, state health officials are searching for the cause of an outbreak that has resulted in two Listeria deaths. Seven others have been hospitalized and the majority are older female adults.

Listeria infections may create symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, difficulty breathing, and poor feeding. But pregnant women who develop listeriosis may experience only mild flu-like symptoms, although they are at risk for premature delivery, miscarriage, and stillbirth.  

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Colorado health officials are advising consumers to follow federal food safety guidelines after a Listeria outbreak has killed two people and sickened seven others. The source of the outbreak has not yet been determined.

Most of the patients were adult females ranging in age from 30s to 90s. Patients were hospitalized in all nine recent cases of listeriosis, in the following counties: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Denver, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson and Weld, according to a statement released by the health department this afternoon. 

Symptoms of listeriosis usually include diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms  followed by a fever and muscle aches. Pregnant and elderly women are most at risk. Antibiotics given promptly can cure the illness and prevent infection of a fetus. But even with prompt treatment, some Listeria infections result in death. This is particularly likely in older adults and in people with other serious medical problems, according the the health department statement.

National food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., has handled many listeriosis cases, including several that resulted in multi-million dollar claims. Contact our listeriosis attorneys for a free consultation.

While health officials try to determine the source of the outbreak, they are reminding consumers to follow federal guidelines to avoid illness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendatiosn for various foods are as follows:

Hot Dogs and Deli Meats

• Heat to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
• Clean spilled fluid from packaging from all surfaces
• Wash hands after handling.
• Avoid eating refrigerated pates or meat spreads.

Cheeses

• Do not eat soft cheese such as feta, queso blanco, queso fresco, brie, Camembert, blue-veined, or panela (queso panela) unless it is labeled as made with pasteurized milk.

Seafood

• Do not eat refrigerated, smoked seafood, unless it is contained in a cooked dish, such as a casserole, or unless it is a canned or shelf-stable product.
• Refrigerated, smoked seafood, such as salmon, trout, whitefish, cod, tuna, and mackerel, is most often labeled as "nova-style," "lox," "kippered," "smoked," or "jerky." These fish are typically found in the refrigerator section.

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Health officials in Colorado are investigating an outbreak of Listeria infections (listeriosis) that sickened nine and killed two people during August, according to a report by Denver television station KMGH 7News.

Epidemiologists are trying to determine the source of the outbreak that has caused a 500 percent increase in confirmed Listeria cases in the last month.

Symptoms of Listeriosis usually include diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms followed by a fever and muscle aches. Sometimes, they can also include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (CDC). Pregnant women can face serious complications.

Health officials are expected to issue a press release later today.

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Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation, a Mount Pleasant, Texas, company, recalled an additional 7,072 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken products. The products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, which can cause listeriosis, a life-threatening illness. The initial Pilgrim’s Pride chicken recall was issued on July 20, 2011.

The initial Pilgrim’s Pride chicken recall (July 20, 2011) was expanded to including the following chicken patties:

• 16-lb. boxes containing 8 2-lb. bags of "Pilgrim’s Pride Fully Cooked Chicken Breast Breaded Nugget Shaped Patties with Rib meat"

The Chicken Breast Nugget Shaped Patties have a date code of 11531010 inkjetted on the box, best-by date "JUN 02 2012" and bear the establishment number "P-7091A" inside the USDA mark of inspection. Each 2-lb. bag is marked with the date code and "P-7091A." The products were produced on June 2, 2011, and shipped to a retail chain in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

The problem was discovered as a result of on-site internal testing at each establishment. FSIS and the company have received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products; however, this does not mean that these recalled products did not make anyone sick. The incubation period for listeriosis can be as long as 70 days.

Contact our listeriosis attorneys for a free consultation if you or a family member has been diagnosed with listeriosis.

Initial Pilgrim's Pride Chicken Recall List - July 20, 2011

The following products are subject to recall: 

• 10 lb. boxes containing 2 5-lb bags of “Sweet Georgia Brand Fully Cooked Breaded White Chicken Nuggets Shaped Patties”
• 30 lb. boxes containing 6 5-lb bags of “Pilgrim’s Pride Fully Cooked Grilled Chicken Breast Fillet with Rib Meat”

The “Chicken Nugget Shaped Patties” has a date code of 11471010 inkjetted on the box, and bears the establishment number “P-7091A” inside the USDA mark of inspection. Each 5-lb bag is marked with the date code and “P-7091A.” These products were produced on May 27, 2011 and shipped to distribution centers in N.J. and Texas for further distribution to food service institutions.

The “Grilled Chicken Breast Fillet with Rib Meat” has a date code of 11801050 and a Use By Date of Dec. 26, 2011 inkjetted on the box, and bears the establishment number “P-20728” inside the USDA mark of inspection. The inner bags are marked with the code date and Use By Date. These products were produced on June 29, 2011 and shipped to a distribution center in Ohio, for further distribution to food service institutions.

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 Kellogg Company has 15 days to respond to an FDA Warning Letter about a persistent strain of Listeria monocytogenes in its cookie plant in Augusta, Georgia. The June  7 letter was obtained by Listeria attorneys at national food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., who represent victims of food poisoning.

No recalls were announced and no illnesses reported, but the warning letter called foods manufactured at the facility "adulterated.'' Here's a snippet from the actual letter:

"The presence of a persistent strain of L. monocytogenes in your facility between January 2010 and February 2011 is significant in that it demonstrates that your cleaning and sanitation efforts were inadequate to remove this organism. We note that although your finished product cookies may not support the growth of L. monocytogenes, the positive environmental swabs are indicators of insanitary conditions in your facility and demonstrate a failure of cleaning and sanitation operations that may allow for contamination of foods with filth or pathogens.''

FDA inspectors found 15 positive swabs for Listeria, seven of those from food surfaces including a spiral cooler. Listeria can grow at refrigerator temperatures and is an extreme danger to pregnant women, causing stillbirth and miscarriage. PritzkerOlsen has represented couples whose babies have been lost during pregnancy due to Listeria contamination from food, including couples who took great care with fertility doctors to start a pregnancy in the first place.

Listeria can infect healthy adults, but is a greater risk to children, the elderly and others who have weakened or underdeveloped immune systems. If you or a loved one has been sickened by Listeria in a outbreak of Listeriosis, contact an attorney at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or send your contact information. Case consultations are free and an attorney will explain how the process works when pursuing a claim or filing a Listeria lawsuit. 

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Two Colorado Listeria deaths have marked an outbreak of foodborne illness under investigation by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

State epidemiologists are working with personnel from Denver Public Health and Denver Environmental Health to determine the source of the Listeria outbreak, which has sickened a third person. A press release said all three cases involve people of Hispanic/Latino heritage. A man in his 30s and a woman in her 60s were the two who died.

Alicia Cronquist, an epidemiologist at the state health department, said officials are urging people to follow the standard Listeria prevention guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pregnant, elderly and other people who are at high risk for Listeria infection can decrease their risk by avoiding soft cheeses such as queso fresco and brie unless they are made with pasteurized milk; hot dogs and deli meats unless reheated to an internal temperature of 165F; refrigerated pâté or meat spreads, or refrigerated smoked seafood.

Many cases of listeriosis are caused by soft cheeses, such as queso fresco and brie. In some communities these cheeses are made with raw (unpasteurized) milk. The pasteurization process kills Listeria and other dangerous pathogens. The cheese making process does not kill these bacteria. Our attorneys are representing several people who were sickened by raw cheese sold at Costco stores (unrelated outbreak).

We have information on Listeria infections (listeriosis) in Spanish (see Listeriosis y la Comida).

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 A Pennsylvania raw milk farmer may be shut down for good if the U.S. Justice Department succeeds in gaining a permanent injunction against him for allegedly violating food safety laws, repeatedly.

The complaint was filed at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for misbranding and distribution of of unpasteurized milk for human consumption in interstate commerce. The alleged violator is Daniel L. Allgyer, owner of the Rainbow Acres Farm in Kinzers, Pennsylvania.

Raw milk can contain a wide variety of harmful bacteria, including Listeria, E.coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Yersinia, and Brucella. 

 “Drinking raw milk is dangerous and shouldn’t be consumed under any circumstances,”  Dara A. Corrigan, FDA’s associate commissioner for regulatory affairs, said in a news release. “FDA has warned the defendant on multiple occasions that introducing raw milk into interstate commerce is in violation of Federal law.”

FDA investigators determined during an inspection of Rainbow Acres Farm that the farm was producing, packaging, selling, and distributing unpasteurized and unlabeled milk for human consumption in interstate commerce. FDA issued a warning to Allyger April 20, 2010, but the farm "continued to operate in violation of federal law,'' the press release said.  

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Listeria wrongful death cases in the United States most often are sporadic, meaning they are not part of an identified outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes. But in the first half of last year in Louisiana, two Listeria deaths were recorded in an outbreak traced to hog head cheese made by a small Louisiana firm.

National food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., has handled many Listeria cases, including several that resulted in multi-million dollar claims. One of those was  for a couple that lost a pregnancy and the ability to get pregnant again. Another case was for an active, vibrant retiree who suffered severe illness for about a year before his Listeria death culminated the family's tragedy. In both cases, contaminated ready-to-eat meat was the cause of infection.

To contact an attorney, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete our contact form and a lawyer will respond with information you seek

.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published an in-depth look at the Louisiana outbreak, which sickened a total of eight people with the same, genetically matched strain of Listeria monocytogenes. Seven of the eight were hospitalized and two of those patients died. Symptoms included altered mental status, diarrhea, vomiting and weakness. 

The CDC said this was the first report of a listeriosis outbreak associated with the consumption of hog head cheese. But ready-to-eat meats are a recognized vehicle for Listeria infection and hog head cheese falls into that category. It is a meat jelly made of swine heads and feet). The USDA has a zero tolerance for Listeria monocytogenes bacteria in ready-to-eat meats because outbreaks can be so likely. That means any product contaminated with the pathogen is legally considered adulterated and the maker is liable even if food safety practices were in place. This lowers the burder of proof for poisoning victims who seek to recover compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, lost earning capacity and other harms.

At the time of the outbreak, Veron Foods in Prairieville, Louisiana, recalled 500,000 pounds of hogs head cheese and sausage. The small, state-inspected firm makes 600 pounds of hog head cheese a week. Listeria matching the outbreak strain was found at the plant -- the second Listeria recall in three years at Veron.

 The sick people lived in Orleans, Jefferson, Tangipahoa, Terrebone, Ascension, St. John and Lafayette parishes, according to the state health department. 

Listeria is an organism that causes gastrointestinal disease in healthy people. If the infection spreads to the nervous system, symptoms such as headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or convulsions can occur.In immune-deficient individuals, Listeria can invade the central nervous system, causing meningitis and/or encephalitis (brain infection). Listeria-Infected pregnant women ordinarily experience only a mild, flu-like illness; however, infection during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, infection of the newborn or even stillbirth.

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A finding of Listeria monocytogenes in a random sample of broccoli items produced by California-based Taylor Farms Pacific prompted a recall of products that are stamped with Best if Used by dates from 2/7/11 to 3/7/11.

Retailers should not sell and consumers should not consume certain Taylor Farms, Raley's or Signature Cafe items containing broccoli with use-by dates through 3/7/11. The list of items is seen below. So far, no illnesses have been reported in association with the recall.  

Listeria infection in pregnant women can cause fetal death, or babies of infected mothers can be born with severe illness. Symptoms of infection in adults may include fever, muscle aches, gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea or diarrhea. Most healthy adults and children rarely become seriously ill, but Listeria monocytogenes can be deadly for people with weakened immune systems and it carries a high rate of hospitalization for a foodborne illness. The FDA-published recall urges consumers to check their refrigerators for the below mentioned products.

Cases of affected product were distributed to 6 states: California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington. Distribution dates were from February 7 to February 24. The positive test result for Listeria monocytogenes was obtained by inspectors for the Washington Department of Agriculture.

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Certain strains of Listeria monocytogenes appear to attack heart tissue, causing researchers to wonder if some who suffer Listeria infections are at greater risk of serious heart disease. The pathogen already causes one of the highest hospitalization rates of any foodborne illness and it has long been known as a menace during pregnancy -- causing stillbirth and miscarriage.

Researchers from the University of Illinois, Chicago, found that mice infected with certain strains of Listeria monocytogenes had 10-15-fold more bacteria in their heart tissues than mice infected with other strains. Dr Nancy Freitag, who led the study, explained how about 10 percent of infections involved the heart. In those cases, cardiac illness is estimated to be up to 35 percent.

While little is known about how the organisms infect heart tissues, Freitag's group is trying to identify cardiac-targeting strains of Listeria. That could improve infection outcomes and help protect vulnerable groups, including patients with heart valve replacements. The group's study results were published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology.

If you or a loved one has suffered a foodborne Listeria infection, call national food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., to discuss your case free of charge at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or contact us online. We are one of the very few law firms in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation and we have collected millions of dollars for victims of food poisoning.

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Listeria monocytogenes findings and insanitary plant conditions have led to a consent decree that prohibits a Portland, Maine, seafood processor from selling seafood until the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved in writing the company's food safety plans. The FDA said the decree was signed by three executives at Portland Shellfish Co. Inc. and entered by Judge John A. Woodcock in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine.

Part of the FDA's requirement is for Portland Shellfish to install a Listeria testing program and a sanitation program in addition to the company's Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan. The company normally sells ready-to-eat lobster, shrimp and crab products to retailers in Massachusetts, California, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, Washington, New Jersey and Louisiana.

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New Braunfels Smokehouse, a New Braunfels, Texas, establishment, recalled approximately 2,609 pounds of fully cooked, ready-to-eat smoked turkey breast products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that can cause listeriosis, an infection that can spread to the brain and cause Listeria meningitis. Listeriosis can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths.

The New Braunfels turkey recall includes the following products:

• 1-pound packages of “New Braunfels Smokehouse Sliced Smoked Turkey” with package code “2210” on the label;
• 4 to 6 lb. packages of “New Braunfels Honey-Glazed Spiral Sliced Smokehouse Hickory Smoked Boneless Breast of Turkey” with package code “2180” on the label;

• 4 to 6 lb. whole breast packages of “Stegall Boneless Hickory Smoked Turkey Breast” with package code “2210” on the label;
• 4 to 6 lb. whole breast packages of “Stegall Spiral Sliced Hickory Smoked Turkey Breast” with package codes “2180” or “2210” on the label.

Each package bears the USDA mark of inspection and the number “P-975” inside the mark of inspection. The fully cooked, ready-to-eat smoked turkey breast products were produced on August 4, 2010, and distributed nationwide, including catalog and internet sales.

The problem was discovered through microbiological sampling by an the U.S. Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS), an arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

If you or a family member has consumed the recalled smoked turkey and been diagnosed with listeriosis, contact our law firm regarding an independent investigation to determine the source of the illness.

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A celery Listeria outbreak that has killed at least four people in Texas is linked to contaminated celery processed at the Sangar Produce and Processing Co. plant in San Antonio.

The initial celery Listeria connection was made by the Texas Department of State Health and refuted by the company. Now separate testing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has confirmed what state officials found. FDA said in a statement it found Listeria bacteria not only on celery but in several places in the building, including work surfaces, after a visit Oct. 14 and 15. The strain of Listeria was genetically matched to people sickened in the outbreak over a 10-month period, the FDA statement said.

A state health official told the San Antonio Express that tests now have conclusively linked seven of the 10 infections in the 2010 outbreak to the company's celery, one more than when the plant was shut down in late October. There have been at least four celery Listeria deaths in this outbreak. The plant was closed by state officials and can't reopen without permission

. An FDA report also released Wednesday included 18 observations from inspectors, including failure to take necessary precautions to protect against contamination of food and food contact surfaces; improper temperatures, failure to store raw materials in a way that protects against contamination; failure to take apart equipment as necessary to ensure thorough cleaning; and failure to take effective measures to protect finished food from contamination by raw materials and refuse.

Law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., is investigating the outbreak and providing claims assistance to victims. Our firm has won millions for Listeriosis victims, including $6,000,000 for wrongful death claims filed by three families. Contact Attorney Fred Pritzker, lead attorney for our Listeria lawsuits, at 1-888-377-8900 (TOLL FREE) or complete the contact form on the side of this Web page. Our firm is one of the few in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation and Mr. Pritzker is a recognized leader in this area of personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits.

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Prompted by an outbreak of listeriosis linked to celery, our attorneys produced the video below, which discusses listeriosis.  Health officials have linked the outbreak to packaged, cut celery processed by Sangar Fresh Cut Produce of San Antonio, Texas.

On October 20, the Texas Department of State Health Services ordered Sangar Fresh Cut Produce in San Antonio to stop processing food and recall all products shipped from the plant since January. The order was issued after laboratory tests of chopped celery from the plant indicated the presence of Listeria monocytogenes, the bacterium that causes listeriosis. Yesterday, the FDA reported that product and environmental samples it collected from the plant on October 14 and 15 had also tested positive for the outbreak strain of Listeria.

The Sangar celery recall involved primarily cut fresh produce in sealed packages that were distributed to restaurants and institutional entities, such as hospitals and schools.

The listeriosis celery outbreak involves 10 listeriosis cases, including at least 4 deaths, reported to the department over an eight-month period. The illnesses occurred in Bexar, Travis and Hidalgo counties.

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As part of a Listeria outbreak investigation in Texas, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspected the SanGar Fresh Cut Produce processing plant because celery processed at the plant had been associated with the outbreak.  Yesterday, the FDA released results of its laboratory testing of processed finished product and environmental samples taken from the SanGar processing plant on October 14-15. The results indicate the presence of Listeria monocytogenes,  in processed celery (the suspected source of the outbreak) and in multiple locations in the plant environment, including on food contact surfaces. The listeria identified in FDA samples matches the DNA fingerprint of the clinical cases of listeriosis reported by the Texas Department of State Health Services.

The Listeria outbreak linked to Sangar celery resulted in at least four deaths, possibly 5.  Several others were sickened but survived the illness. After epidemiologists linked the outbreak with the celery, the Texas DSHS ordered SanGar to stop processing food on October 20, 2010 and to recall all product shipped from the San Antonio plant since January. Contact our attorneys for Listeria lawsuit information.

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Listeria contamination prompted the United States Marshals Service on Monday to seize all cheeses held on the premises of the Estrella Family Creamery under a  warrant issued by a federal judge. According to a news release from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Judge Benjamin H. Settle issued the warrant at the request of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington. The U.S. Attorney had filed a complaint alleging that cheese and other articles of food held at Estrella Family Creamery are adulterated. 

Estrella of Montesano, Washington, has had several cheese recalls this year due to Listeria. Again in August, the FDA  found additional Listeria contamination and warned consumers about recalled Estrella cheese. Media reports said the raid was ordered after Estrella declined to destroy inventories of potentially contaminated cheese.

 Listeria is an organism that causes gastrointestinal disease in healthy people. If the infection spreads to the nervous system, symptoms such as headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or convulsions can occur.In immune-deficient individuals, Listeria can invade the central nervous system, causing meningitis and/or encephalitis (brain infection). Infected pregnant women ordinarily experience only a mild, flu-like illness; however, infection during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, infection of the newborn or even stillbirth.

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Sangar Produce & Processing Co. lawyers are disputing a link to four Listeria celery deaths but the Texas Department of State Health Services is not backing down from its finding that a 2010 Listeriosis outbreak was caused by contaminated celery from the firm's San Antonio plant.

"It's disappointing that the company appears to be using time and energy to promote a video to the news media that shows nothing of significance," state health department spokeswoman Carrie Williams said. "With four deaths linked to the plant, we would hope their total focus is on cleaning and continuing to work with us on the recall."

Williams was quoted in a San Antonio Express-News story that said lawyers for Sangar released a video from the plant's security system that shows the state's health inspector did not wear gloves, mask and gown while collecting a celery sample that tested positive for the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes. The company maintains the specimen was transported in a non-chilled container — all of which might have contaminated the samples.

But state health officials say proper protocol was followed. "The samples were properly collected, handled and stored, and we stand by our findings,'' Williams told the newspaper. She also said officials first discovered Listeria contamination in Sangar celery at an unidentified food establishment that used the product. The tests at the factory confirmed the source of contamination, she said.

The Texas Listeria outbreak infected 10 people in Bexar, Travis and Hidalgo counties - five of them fatally - since the beginning of the year. Six cases were conclusively linked to the celery, health officials said, including four deaths.  Three of the deaths were Bexar County residents.

Listeria lawyers at food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., are investigating this outbreak and accepting cases. Our firm has won millions for families in wrongful death actions. Attorney Fred Pritzker, lead attorney for our listeriosis lawsuits, is listed in The Best Lawyers in America. To contact our Listeria attorneys regarding a Sangar celery lawsuit, please call 1-888-377-8900 (TOLL FREE) or submit our free consultation form on the side of this Web page. We don't get paid unless you win.

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The president of Sangar Fresh Cut Produce in San Antonio, Texas, says state health officials have erred by linking his company's products with a Celery Listeriosis outbreak. Five people in Texas have died of Listeria poisoning this year, including three in Bexar County.

The Texas Department of State Health Services said in a news release this week that 10 cases of Listeria have been investigated and "six of the 10 cases have been linked to chopped celery from the Sangar plant.''

The state health department ordered Sangar to stop processing food and recall all products shipped form the plant since January. According to a story in the San Antonio Express newspaper, Sangar President Kenneth Sanquist Jr. is refuting the state's findings.

“The state's claim that some of our produce now fails to meet health standards directly contradicts independent testing that was conducted on the same products,” the statement from Sanquist said. “This independent testing shows our produce to be absolutely safe, and we are aggressively fighting the state's erroneous findings.”

Texas originally asked the company to close voluntarily, but it refused, state health department spokeswoman Carrie Williams told USA Today. At that point, Texas health officials ordered the closure of the Sangar plant and recall. The outbreak tracked by Texas officials began in January. By May, two people had died but no cause was identified. According to the state's investigation, all of the illnesses were in people who had serious underlying health problems. 

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Texas health officials force a celery recall after a listeriosis outbreak in Bexar, Travis and Hidalgo counties kills 5 people and seriously sickens 5 others.  Attorneys at Pritzker Olsen have successfully represented listeriosis victims and their families.  For a free consultation, please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit our online form for a free consultation.

On October 20, 2010, the Texas Department of State Health Services ordered Sangar Fresh Cut Produce in San Antonio, TX to discontinue processing food and recall all products shipped from the plant since January, 2010. The Sangar recall was forced after laboratory tests of chopped celery from the plant indicated the presence of Listeria monocytogenes, the bacteria that causes listeriosis.

The recalled products – primarily cut fresh produce in sealed packages – were distributed to restaurants and institutional entities, such as hospitals and schools.

The testing of the Sangar celery was done as part of a DSHS investigation into 10 listeriosis cases, including five deaths, reported to the department over an eight-month period. Six of the 10 cases have been linked to chopped celery from the Sangar plant. The illnesses occurred in Bexar, Travis and Hidalgo counties.

DSHS inspectors also found unsanitary conditions at the plant that could have spread the Listeria in the celery to other products. Texas health officials found:

• a condensation leak above a food product area
• soil on a preparation table
• hand washing issues

As in this outbreak, listeriosis is frequently fatal. Potentially-fatal complications of listeriosis in adults include:

• septicemia (infection of the blood)
• meningitis (infection of the meninges, the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord, and the related fluids)

The overall mortality rate for listeriosis meningitis may be as high at 70%; for septicemia, 50%.

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The Sangar celery Listeria outbreak in Texas has killed five individuals and called national attention to a human pathogen that isn't as well known as E. coli or Salmonella. Food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., has compiled a fact sheet on the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes and Listeriosis, its related disease. The outbreak has been associated with Sangar chopped celery distributed since January to restaurants and institutional entities, such as hospitals and schools..

Sangar Celery Litigation and Listeria Backgrounder

In the United States, an estimated 2,500 persons become seriously ill with Listeriosis each year. Of these, 500 die.  

Listeria monocytogenes is found in soil and water. Vegetables can become contaminated from the soil or from manure used as fertilizer.  The bacterium has been found in a variety of raw foods, such as uncooked meats and vegetables, including chopped celery at Sangar Fresh Cut Produce in San Antonio, Texas. If cutting surfaces are contaminated with Listeria, vegetables prepared on those surfaces likely will be tainted.

Listeria is killed by pasteurization and cooking. That's what makes ready-to-eat foods such as diced vegetables dangerous if they are  consumed without any further safety preparation steps.

Listeria has the ability to grow at temperatures as low as 3°C, a trait that permits multiplication of the pathogen in refrigerated foods.

Confirmed outbreaks of Listeriosis are rare. The vast majority of cases are sporadic, making epidemiological links to food very difficult.

Most healthy persons probably show no symptoms beyond mild flu-like conditions. The "complications" are the usual clinical expressions of the disease.

The disease affects primarily persons of advanced age, pregnant women, newborns, and adults with weakened immune systems. However, persons without these risk factors can also rarely be affected.

Complications: When Listeria meningitis occurs, the overall mortality may be as high as 70%; from septicemia 50%, from perinatal/neonatal infections greater than 80%. 

Pregnant women are about 20 times more likely than other healthy adults to get Listeriosis. About one-third of Listeriosis cases happen during pregnancy. Babies can be born with the disease, but an infection during pregnancy also can result in premature delivery or stillbirth.

Listeriosis symptoms include fever, muscle aches, and sometimes gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea or diarrhea. If infection spreads to the nervous system, symptoms such as headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or convulsions can occur.

The biggest recent outbreak of Listeriosis happened in Canada in 2008. Twenty-three people died in 57 confirmed cases. Canadian health officials linked the outbreak to deli meats produced in the Maple Leaf Foods plant in North York, Ontario, a neighorhood of Toronto.

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Five Texas celery Listeria deaths have been linked to contamination found at the Sangar Fresh Cut Produce plant in San Antonio as part of an investigation that dates to the very beginning of 2010. Listeria attorneys from PritzkerOlsen, P.A., have been monitoring this food poisoning outbreak since May, when Texas health officials first announced that two of seven people who contracted the same strain of listeriosis died.

At that time, the cause wasn't known. But this week the Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed a link to Listeria bacteria found in chopped celery from the Sangar plant. The state ordered a recall of all products shipped from Sangar Fresh Cut Produce since January. The illnesses occurred in Bexar, Travis and Hidalgo counties.

In preparation for a potential celery Listeria lawsuit, PritzkerOlsen is accepting cases from families affected by this outbreak, including survivors of those who have died. Ten cases were investigated and six have been confirmed through DNA fingerprinting as having been caused by contaminated chopped celery from Sangar, officials have said. Certain victims were in fragile health with serious underlying conditions, but that has no bearing on the importance of their legal case because all who suffered did so at the hands of a company that sold adulterated food and should be held accountable.

Pritzker Olsen attorneys have won millions for the families of listeriosis victims, including $6,000,000 for wrongful death claims filed by three families. Contact Attorney Fred Pritzker, lead attorney for our listeriosis lawsuits, at 1-888-377-8900 (TOLL FREE) or complete the contact form on the side of this Web page. Our firm is one of the few in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation and Mr. Pritzker is a recognized leader in this area of personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits.

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A Texas Listeria outbreak has prompted state health officials to order a sweeping recall of all products shipped since January from Sangar Fresh Cut Produce in San Antonio. The recall was ordered after lab tests of chopped celery from the plant indicated the presence of Listeria monocytogenes.

The order prohibits the plant from reopening without approval from the Texas Department of State Health Services. 

The recalled products – primarily cut fresh produce in sealed packages – were distributed to restaurants and institutional entities, such as hospitals and schools, and are not believed to be sold in grocery stores. The testing was done as part of a Department of State Health Services investigation into 10 listeriosis cases, including five deaths, reported to the department over an eight-month period, the health department said in a press release. Six of the 10 cases have been linked to chopped celery from the Sangar plant, the release said.

Besides finding traces of Listeria, Texas health inspectors also found sanitation issues at the plant and believe the Listeria found in the chopped celery may have contaminated other food. The department found a condensation leak above a food product area, soil on a preparation table and hand washing deficiences. The health department is notifying Sangar customers to ensure they are taking precautions. 

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Head cheese is at the center of a lawsuit alleging the jellied meat caused listeriosis, an infection caused by Listeria monocytogenes.  In the lawsuit, the man claims head cheese manufactured by Veron Foods, LLC, a Prairieville, Louisiana, establishment, was contaminated with Listeria.

The man ate the cheese on May 18 and because so ill that he had to be hospitalized on May 20.  He spent more than a month in an intensive-care unit.  As of the date of this post, he is now only somewhat ambulatory and has suffered memory loss that may be permanent.

On August 14, a few days prior to the filing of this lawsuit, Veron Foods recalled approximately 500,000 pounds of “ready to eat” sausage and hog head cheese products due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

The Vernon Foods recall involved the following products:

• All Size Packages of Veron Hot Smoked Sausage
• All Size Packages of Veron Mild Smoked Sausage
• All Size Packages of Martin Hot Smoked Sausage
• All Size Packages of Martin Mild Smoked Sausage
• All Size Packages of Veron Andouille Sausage
• All Size Packages of Martin Andouille Sausage
• All Size Packages of Veron Hog Head Cheese

The products subject to recall bear the establishment number “LA 22” inside the LDAF mark of inspection as well as date codes of 010110 through 111310 and were distributed to retail establishments and institutions within the state of Louisiana.  

Attorney Fred Pritzker has significant experience litigating listeriosis cases.  He has a national practice and is available for a free consultation.

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Portland Shellfish Company, Inc. has recalled the following brands of cooked, ready to eat fresh or frozen lobster meat: Portland Shellfish Co. Inc brand, Claw Island, Craig’s All Natural, Inland Ocean cooked, fresh or frozen lobster claw and knuckle meat, and Meat Without Feet private label food service (2 Lb bags), pack of ready to eat frozen lobster claw and knuckle meat. Recent tests show the product has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The recalled products were distributed nationwide in wholesale and retail stores. 

Recalled products and Lot numbers:

LOBSTER CLAW & KNUCKLE MEAT, CS 6 x 2 LB, packed under the Claw Island, Craig’s All Natural or Inland Ocean brand, production lot numbers 13210, 13310, and 13410, shipped between 05/14/2010 and 05/26/2010.

LOBSTER KNUCKLE MEAT, CS 6 x 2 LB, packed under the Inland Ocean brand, production lot numbers 13210, shipped on 05/13/2010.

LOBSTER CLAW & KNUCKLE MEAT, CS 18 x 15 oz, packed under the Claw Island brand, production lot numbers 13210 and 13410, shipped between 05/25/2010 and 06/08/2010.

LOBSTER CLAW & KNUCKLE MEAT, CS 20 x 8 oz, packed under the Craig’s All Natural brand, production lot numbers 13210, shipped on 05/14/2010.

LOBSTER KNUCKLE MEAT, 1 LB bag, fresh, packed under Portland shellfish brand, production lot number 13310, shipped on 05/12/2010.

LOBSTER CLAW & KNUCKLE MEAT, 4 oz bag, fresh, packed under Portland shellfish brand, production lot number 13310, shipped on 05/13/2010.

LOBSTER CLAW & KNUCKLE MEAT, 1 LB bag, fresh, packed under Portland shellfish brand, production lot number 13210 and 13310, shipped on 05/12/2010 and 05/13/2010.

LOBSTER CLAW & KNUCKLE MEAT, 2 LB bag, fresh, packed under Portland shellfish brand, production lot number 13210 and 13310, shipped on 05/12/2010 05/13/2010, 05/14/2010.

LOBSTER CLAW & KNUCKLE MEAT, 5 LB bag, fresh, packed under Portland shellfish brand, production lot number 13210, shipped on 05/12/2010.

75 CASES LOBSTER CLAW & KNUCKLE MEAT, Packed 6 x 2 LB bags, FROZEN, packed under Meat Without Feet LABEL, production lot number 13310, shipped on  05/13/2010.

No related Listeria infections (listeriosis) have been reported to date, but the incubation period for Listeria can be as long as 70 days.

To contact a Listeria lawyer, please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit our online form for a free consultation.

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Two Delaware residents who consumed raw  dairy products are recovering from bacterial illnesses, the Delaware Division of Public Health announced.

The first patient is a 58-year-old female from Castle County who contracted Brucellosis.The second case is a 44-year-old man from Sussex County who has Listeriosis. Besides consuming raw dairy products, the man with Listeria infection had been handling raw poultry products.

Both food poisoning victims were hospitalized and the man with Listeriosis is still admitted, but stable.

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State and local health officials around San Antonio, Texas, are investigating five illnesses and two deaths from Listeria monocytogenes, a pathogen sometimes found in soft cheeses and deli meats.

The cases have cropped up sporadically since January and they are spread across three counties. This makes it difficult for investigators to trace the food that is causing the illnesses. None of the Texas Listeria outbreak victims know each other, but their illnesses share the same genetic fingerprint.

Roger Sanchez, senior epidemiologist for San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, said the outbreak isn't large but most of the patients have underlying health conditions. They range in age from 66 to 93.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 2,500 become seriously ill each year with listeriosis, and 500 of them die.

Listeria is unlike many other germs because it can grow even in the cold temperature of the refrigerator. The organism is especially harmful to pregnant women, who are 20 times more likely than other healthy adults to get the infection. An infection can cause stillbirth or miscarriage.

If you or someone you love is part of this outbreak, call law firm Pritzker Olsen for a free case consultation at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free), or by completing the contact form on the side of this Web page. If we agree to take your case, you will owe us nothing until the case is won.

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A listeriosis outbreak in Texas has sickened seven people. Two of them died. Listeriosis is an infection caused by Listeria monocytogenes, a foodborne bacteria. Analysis of Listeria isolates collected from those sickened found that the isolates were genetically identical, suggesting that the same food source is responsible for the illnesses and deaths.

The seven people who contracted listeriosis are from Bexar County (5), Travis County (1) and Hidalgo County (1). 

According to the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, the victims of this listeriosis outbreak were fragile, elderly people ranging in ages 66 to 93. It is likely that several others were also infected with Listeria but did not get sick or only had flu-like symptoms.

Illnesses were reported from January through May 6 of this year.

The food source of the Listeria bacteria is being investigated. Below are recent Listeria recalls and public health alerts (none of these products have been implicated in this outbreak):

• Casa Italia Prosciutto Public Health Alert – May 11, 2010 – Canadian ready-to-eat deli products produced by Zadi Foods Ltd., CFIA Establishment 665, located in Brampton, Ontario and distributed nationwide: Casa Italia Gastronomia Prosciutto, Casa Italia Gastronomia Prosciutto Boneless, Casa Italia Gastronomia Prosciutto Mattonella, Casa Italia Prosciutto Boneless, Casa Italia Prosciutto Boneless Sliced, Casa Italia Prosciutto Ham Sliced and Emma Dry Prosciutto. All lots and production dates for the above-listed products were subject to the public health alert.
• Manouri Cheese Recall – May 6, 2010 - Mt. Vikos, Inc., Marshfield, MA 02050 recalled all size packages and all lot numbers of Mt. Vikos Brand Manouri – Sheep & Goat’s Milk. The cheese is distributed in clear plastic packaging for the retail market in 4oz portions with the Mt. Vikos Manouri label. In addition the cheese is distributed in approximately 1 Kilogram logs in clear plastic packaging with the Mt. Vikos Manouri label. Recalled products include 1) retail portions of Mt. Vikos Manouri – Sheep & Goat’s Milk Cheese, Net Wt. 4 oz, UPC# 6-65291-00201-2, all Best Before dates and 2) food service portions of Mt. Vikos Manouri – Sheep & Goat’s Milk Cheese, Random Wt. logs (approximately 1 Kilogram) – all Best By dates.  Mt. Vikos Manouri cheese was distributed nationwide to customers for the retail and food service markets.
• Parker Farm Recall of Various Products - January 15, 2010 - Parkers Farm, Inc. of Coon Rapids, Minnesota expanded the previously announced recall of products to include all date codes. The recalled products were distributed nationwide in the following retail stores: Hy-Vee, Cub, Rainbow, Byerlys, Lunds, Target, Whole Foods, Jewel, Dominicks, Marsh, Price Chopper, Shop Rite, Nash Finch, Sams Club, Costco, Safeway, Kroger, Wal-Mart, Aldi. The following recalled products were sold under the Parker Farm or Parkers label:
  ~~~12 ounce & 16 ounce peanut butter in square plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), regular and organic varieties are creamy, crunchy, honey creamy and honey crunchy with sell by dates on or before 12/31/2010.
  ~~~34 ounce peanut butter in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are creamy and crunchy with sell by dates on or before 09/30/2010.
  ~~~7 ounce bagel spreads in white plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are garden veggie, wild berry, strawberry, apple cinnamon and honey walnut with sell by dates on or before 06/30/2010.
  ~~~12 ounce & 14 ounce dips & spreads in square plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varities are jalapeno nacho, pimento and salsa con queso with sell by dates on or before 09/30/2010.
  ~~~8 ounce, 12 ounce and 16 ounce cold pack cheese in round or square plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, bacon, onion, smoked cheddar, Swiss almond, horseradish, garlic, port wine, and swiss & cheddar with sell by dates on or before 12/31/2010.
  ~~~16 ounce salsa in square plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are hot, mild, garlic, black bean and fire roasted with sell by dates on or before 04/30/2010.
  ~~~32 ounce salsa in plastic jugs (clear jug with screw cap), varieites are hot, mild, garlic, and black bean with sell by dates on or before 04/30/2010.
  ~~~128 ounce salsa in plastic jugs (clear jug with screw cap), varieites are hot, fire roasted, mild and garlic with sell by dates on or before 04/30/2010.
  ~~~8 ounce, 9 ounce, 10 ounce Balls & Logs (in film overwrap), varieties are sharp cheddar, port wine, smokey bacon, ranch, garlic, jalapeno, pimento, spinach, jajik, beer and chorizo with sell by dates on or before 01/05/2011.
  ~~~5#, 5.5#, 10#, 30# Parker Farm cold pack cheese (white tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, onion, bacon, smoked cheddar, swiss almond, horseradish, garlic, port wine, and swiss & cheddar with sell by dates on or before 09/30/2010.
  ~~~16 ounce Happy Farms cold pack cheese in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, port wine and swiss almond with sell by dates on or before 12/31/2010.
  ~~~8 ounce Kroger cold pack cheese in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, port wine and swiss almond with sell by dates on or before 12/31/2010.
  ~~~8 ounce Central Markets cold pack cheese in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, port wine, swiss almond, horseradish with sell by dates on or before 12/31/2010.
  ~~~14 ounce Central Markets salsa con queso in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid) with sell by dates on or before 09/30/2010.
  ~~~16 ounce Central Markets salsa in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, port wine, swiss almond, horseradish with sell by dates on or before 04/30/2010.
  ~~~8 ounce Dutch Farms cold pack cheese in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, port wine, swiss almond, horseradish, and swiss & cheddar with sell by dates on or before 12/31/2010.
   ~~~7 ounce Dutch Farms cream cheese spreads in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are strawberry, wild berry, honey walnut & apple cinnamon with sell by dates on or before 06/30/2010.
  ~~~8 ounce Crystal Farms cold pack cheese in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, port wine, swiss almond, bacon and jalapeno cheddar with sell by dates on or before 12/31/2010.
  ~~~8 ounce Heluva Good cold pack cheese in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, port wine and horseradish cheddar with sell by dates on or before 12/31/2010.
  ~~~8 ounce Amish Classic cold pack cheese in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieites are sharp cheddar, port wine, swiss almond, horseradish with sell by dates on or before 12/31/2010.
  ~~~10 ounce Amish Classic cheese balls & logs (in film overwrap), varieties are cheddar, port wine, ranch, smokey bacon, beef n onion with sell by dates on or before 01/05/2011.
  ~~~128 ounce San Pablo salsa in plastic jugs (clear jug with screw cap), varieites are fire roasted and mild with sell by dates on or before 04/30/2010.
  ~~~12 ounce Century Resources cold pack cheese food (tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, horserdish, bacon with a sell by date of xxx9 (the first 3 digits aren’t important, but the last digit must be a 9).
  ~~~12 ounce Century Resources pimento spread (tub with snap on lid) with a sell by date of xxx9 (the first 3 digits aren’t important, but the last digit must be a 9.
  ~~~8 ounce and 12/12 ounce Century Resources cheese ball & log (in film overwrap) sharp cheddar with a sell by date of xxx9 (the first 3 digits aren’t important, but the last digit must be a 9).
  ~~~12 ounce Century Resources salsa con queso (tub with snap on lid) with a sell by date of xxx9 (the first 3 digits aren’t important, but the last digit must be a 9).
  ~~~4#, 5.5# Block & Barrel cold pack cheese (white tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, swiss almond, horseradish, port wine and pimiento spread with packed on dates on or before 12/30/2009.
  ~~~30# Block & Barrel sharp cheddar cold pack cheese (white pail with snap on lid) with packed on dates on or before 12/30/2009.
  ~~~5# Cobblestone cold pack cheese (white tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, port wine, swiss almond, horseradish with sell by dates on or before 06/30/2010.
  ~~~30# Cobblestone sharp cheddar cold pack cheese (white pail with snap on lid) with sell by dates on or before 06/30/2010.
  ~~~5# Biery label cold pack cheese (white tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar and port wine with sell by dates on or before 09/30/2010.
  ~~~~~~5# Dierks Waukesha cold pack cheese (white tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, port wine, horseradish, swiss almond with sell by dates on or before 09/30/2010.

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Media reports covering the latest CDC data on food poisoning have focused on a slight decline in the incidence of E. coli O157:H7 infections in 2009.

But the bottom line of the report is that no real progress has been made in six years in reducing dangerous pathogens in our food.

"The interventions begun in the late 1990s were successful in decreasing some of these foodborne diseases, but we haven’t seen much recent progress,” said Chris Braden, M.D., acting director of CDC’s Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases. “To make additional strides against these diseases and ultimately better protect the American people from foodborne illness, CDC, our federal and state partners, and the food industry will need to try new strategies."

Braden was commenting on annual CDC surveillance data released this week by FoodNet, a food poisoning detection and reporting system operated by CDC in collaboration from 10 state health departments, USDA and FDA. It tracks E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter, Shigellaand four other pathogens. 

For most of the infections, the rate was highest in children under the age of 4 years. People over 50 years old had the highest rates of hospitalizations and deaths from most foodborne illnesses, emphasizing the need for those over 50 to get diagnosed and get treatment quickly after becoming ill.

Among the four pathogens tracked in FoodNet that have national incidence goals, Salmonella is furthest from meeting the goal. According to CDC, there is slow progress in fighting Salmonella because it is spread through a wide variety of foods, and also through non foodborne routes. Salmonella can be spread by poultry, meat, eggs, produce and processed foods, as well as by contact with animals like baby chicks, small turtles, reptiles and frogs.

Shigella and E. coli O157:H7 were the two pathogens that experienced lower incidence rates in 2009 when compared to 2006-2008. The Healthy People goal for E. coli was a rate of less than 1 infection per 100,000 people.  The 2009 ratio was .57 per 100,000, down 25 percent. For Shigella, the incidence rate was down 27 percent to 3.99 per 100,000. 

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Deli meat Listeria fears have prompted the USDA to delist Canada's Siena Foods Ltd. Toronto facility as an eligible exporter of meat to the United States.

The move, confirmed in a story by the Montreal Gazette, is in response to recalls in Canada last week of four different deli meats for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

The recalled Siena products  were distributed to primary suppliers in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta and may have been made available to consumers across the country through secondary distributors.

In conjunction with the delisting, USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a public health alert regarding recalled Siena deli meats that may already have crossed the border. FSIS said it may proceed with a recall as more information becomes available.

 

"This public health alert was initiated after positive test results and an investigation by (Canada) in response to a listeriosis illness outbreak. At this time, no confirmed linkage has been made between the products subject to recall and the reported illnesses.''  

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When it comes to Listeria poisoning, public health officials preach over and over that pregnant women are among the most vulnerable to infection and that their babies are at risk for becoming seriously ill or dying.

In Oregon right now, two women and their babies are victims of a Listeria outbreak that the Oregon Health Authority has associated with Queso Fresco and two other soft cheeses made by a small business in Yakima, Washington.

Health reporter Lynne Terry of the Portland Oregonian newspaper has written that both mothers were hospitalized and that their babies were born with serious illnesses, but no one has died.

A fifth person also has been hospitalized in the outbreak, which was announced Friday in conjunction with a recall of three cheeses made by Queseria Bendita.

William Keene, senior epidemiologist with the Oregon Public Health Division, told the newspaper that one mother lives in Clackamas County and the other is in Washington County. Keene said both babies were delivered slightly prematurely because of fetal distress.  

The Oregon Health Authority said in a news release that the Queseria Bendita cheeses under recall are sold primarily at Hispanic specialty markets in the greater Portland and Umatilla County areas, but may have been resold to Mexican restaurants or other outlets. 

The company has ceased production and distribution of its products as the Washington State Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration and the company continue their investigations into what caused the problem. 

National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen is monitoring this outbreak and accepting cases from individuals sickened by Listeria. It can take up to 70 days after eating food contaminated with the bacteria to feel sick. 

Infected pregnant women may have only a mild illness, but infections during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth, premature delivery or infection of the newborn. To talk to a Listeria lawyer at Pritzker Olsen, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete the contact form on the side of this Web page.

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Reuters news agency has reported that an FDA warning letter to Kellogg Company said the company didn't go far enough to address food safety violations at its Atlanta Eggo and frozen food plant.

The January 27 letter arrived after the Georgia Department of Agriculture found Listeria bacteria in Eggo Buttermilk Waffles on August 31. A followup inspection found bacterial contamination and sanitation violations at the plant. The FDA said the Kellogg Eggo plant was cited for improper handling of trash and food and insufficiently sanitized equipment.

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Seven days after announcing a Listeria recall covering a wide variety of its food products, Parkers Farm Inc. of Coon Rapids, Minnesota, has expanded the recall to include all date codes on the previously identified foods.

The Parkers Farm recall is a result of a sampling done by the state of Wisconsin and the state of Minnesota which revealed that some finished products contained the bacteria. The state of Minnesota, FDA, and the company continue their investigation as to what caused the problem. No illnesses have been reported to date.

Officials are concerned about Listeria in the company's peanut butter, bagel spreads, cold pack cheese and salsa that it sells under various brands. Click here to see the complete recall product list, but all date codes are now included in the recall. 

Unlike most foodborne bacteria, Listeria can multiply while products are stored in refrigerators. The organism is especially harmful to pregnant women, who are more likely to contract it than others. Infection can pass to the fetus and cause stillbirth and miscarriage. 

Listeriosis in pregnant women can be difficult to diagnose. That is why it is important for pregnant women who come down with a fever, especially if it corresponds with flu-like symptoms, to immediately see a doctor and get a blood culture. There is no immunization for Listeriosis.

If you or a loved one has suffered Listeria food poisoning and have legal questions, contact a food safety lawyer at Pritzker Olsen at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete our contact and information form on the side of this Web page. We will provide a free case consultation based on years of experience.

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Minnesota-based Parkers Farm Inc. of Coon Rapids is continuing to investigate with the Food and Drug Administration what caused Listeria monocytogenes to contaminate peanut butter, bagel spreads, cold pack cheese and salsa that it sells under various brands.

TheParkers Farm Listeria recall was prompted after the bacteria was found through sampling of finished products by health department officials in Minnesota and Wisconsin. At this time, no illnesses have been reported.The recalled products were distributed nationwide in the following retail stores: Hy-Vee, CUB, Rainbow, Byerlys Lunds, Target, Whole Foods, Jewel, Dominicks, Marsh, Price Chopper, Shop rite, Nash Finch, Sam’s Club, Costco, Safeway. 

Unlike most foodborne bacteria, Listeria can multiply while products are stored in refrigerators. The organism is especially harmful to pregnant women, who are more likely to contract it than others. Infection can pass to the fetus and cause stillbirth and miscarriage. 

Listeriosis in pregnant women can be difficult to diagnose. That is why it is important for pregnant women who come down with a fever, especially if it corresponds with flu-like symptoms, to immediately see a doctor and get a blood culture. There is no immunization for Listeriosis.

If you or a loved one has suffered Listeria food poisoning and have legal questions, contact a food safety lawyer at Pritzker Olsen at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete our contact and information form on the side of this Web page. We will provide a free case consultation based on years of experience in can lead to damage recovery.

Here is the list of products covered in the Parkers Farm Listeria recall:

• 16 ounce peanut butter in square plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are creamy, crunchy, honey creamy and honey crunchy with sell by dates between 11/14/2010 and 12/31/2010.
• 34 ounce peanut butter in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are creamy and crunchy with sell by dates between 8/11/2010 and 9/30/2010.
• 7 ounce bagel spreads in white plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are garden veggie, wild berry, strawberry, apple cinnamon and honey walnut) with sell by dates between 5/13/2010 and 6/30/2010.
• 14 ounce dips & spreads in square plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are jalapeño nacho, pimento and salsa con queso with sell by dates between 8/11/2010 and 9/30/2010.
• 8 ounce, 12 ounce and 16 ounce cold pack cheese in round or square plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, bacon, onion, smoked cheddar, swiss almond, horseradish, garlic, port wine, and swiss & cheddar with sell by dates between 11/14/2010 and 12/31/2010.
• 16 ounce salsa in square plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are hot, mild, garlic, black bean and fire roasted with sell by dates between 3/14/2010 and 4/30/2010.

Other labels affected by this recall:

• 16 ounce Happy Farms Cold Pack Cheese in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, port wine and swiss almond with sell by dates between 11/24/2010 and 12/10/2010.
• 8 ounce Kroger Cold Pack Cheese in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, port wine and swiss almond with sell by dates between 11/18/2010 thru 12/15/2010.
• 8 ounce Central Markets Cold Pack Cheese in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, port win and swiss almond, horseradish with sell by dates of 12/9/2010
• 14 oz. Central Markets Salsa Con Queso in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid) with sell by dates of 8/16/2010.
• 16 oz. Central Markets Salsa in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, port wine, swiss almond, horseradish with sell by dates of 3/17/2010 thru 3/24/2010.
• 8 oz. Dutch Farms Cold Pack Cheese in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, port wine, swiss almond, horseradish, and swiss & cheddar with sell by dates of 11/16/2010 thru 11/18/2010.

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An insanitary cheese plant in New Jersey is being shut down by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for chronic Listeria problems.

According to an FDA news release, the U.S. Department of Justice  has filed a complaint for permanent injunction against Quesos Mi Pueblito and two of its officers, Felix Sanchez and Jesus Galvez. The complaint alleges that recent inspections by the FDA and the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services found Listeria-contaminated cheese and insanitary conditions at the Passaic company.

Listeria monocytogenes is a dangerous human pathogen especially harmful to pregnant women. Unlike many other agents of food poisoning, the organism can grow in refrigerator temperatures and it is found in processed foods like soft cheese, hot dogs and deli meats as well as foods made from unpasteurized milk.

Pregnant women are 20 times more likely to contract listeriosis than other healthy adults and the disease can cause stillbirth or miscarriage. Listeria symptoms include stiff neck, muscle soreness, nausea, fever and diarrhea. Pregnant women may have mild flu-like illness.

Families should seek immediate medical care for anyone they think may be ill from Listeria. For legal information, contact a Listeria attorney at Pritzker Olsen 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or by completing a free consultation form on the side of this Web page. We are a national food safety law firm that is a recognized leader in foodborne illness litigation.