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

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.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

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.

 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

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.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

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.

 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

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.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

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. 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

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.''  

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

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.

 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

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.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

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.

 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

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.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

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.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Big Boy Restaurants International of Warren, Michigan, has permanently closed a subsidiary that made ready-to-eat meal kits. The closing comes three months after Big Boy Food Group recalled 39,514 pounds of kids' meals that may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

A story in  Crain's Detroit Business quoted the company as saying it spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to find the source of contamination. It had been shut down since October 23 in search of a solution. The contamination source was in equipment and It was not economically feasible to correct the problem and resume operations, the story said. 

USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced the recall September 1. It covered 3.6-ounce ham & cheese and turkey & cheese DinoLunch and Lunch Buddies meal kits. No illnesses were reported in connection with the recall, which was prompted by FSIS product testing.

Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria  can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal disease. Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis. However, listeriosis can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. Listeriosis can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths, as well as serious and sometimes fatal infections in those with weakened immune systems, such as infants, the elderly and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact a physician.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

 A New York fish company has recalled smoked salmon that tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes during regulatory sampling by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Service Smoked Fish Corp. of Brooklyn, New York, didn't say how much of its Brooklyn's Best brand smoked nova salmon is affected by the recall. But the Listeria salmon recall covers all vacuum-packed 3-ounce, 4-ounce, 8-ounce, 12-ounce and 16-ounce units stamped with any "use-by" date from 12/3/09 through 12/19/09.

The company also said air-packed bulk boxes of the salmon are recalled with lot numbers 060 through 043. The recalled smoked salmon was distributed in greater New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Baltimore, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon.

Service Smoked Fish Corp. said it has ceased making the product pending investigation.

No illnesses were reported in connection with the Listeria finding, but the bacteria can cause severe illness and is a particular threat to pregnant women. Listeria can cause stillbirth and miscarriage and lead to serious and deadly infections in young children, older adults and others who have weakened immune systems.

Initial Listeria symptoms include high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, stomach paid and diarrhea. If you or a loved one has been sickened by this product, see a physician immediately. For legal information, contact national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen Attorneys at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete our online contact and information form on the side of this web page.

 

 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Kale from a farm in Oxnard, California, tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes when examined by the Ohio Department of Agriculture, prompting the state to issue a health advisory for consumers to avoid a certain batch of the leafy greens.

The potentially contaminated Kale in question comes in 10-ounce bags of branded "Cut n'Clean Greens" from San Miguel Produce Inc. The product has a use-by date of 11/9/2009 and lot code 14398.

The Cincinnati Inquirer newspaper broke the story and the company issued a news release saying only 24 bags fitting the description were shipped to Ohio.

The company says it is conducting its own investigation and that no illnesses have been associated with the product advisory in Ohio.

Listeria is a human pathogen that affects thousands of Americans a year, nearly all from contaminated food. It is associated with infections of the brain and spinal cord that can cause neurological dysfunction or death. Young children, adults over 60 and others with compromised immune systems -- including pregnant women -- are most at risk.

Listeria is known to cause miscarriage or stillbirth and pregnant women, along with children under 4, are most likely to contract the disease.

If you or a loved one have been treated for Listeria and need to know more about your legal rights, call Pritzker Olsen Attorneys at 1-888-377-8000 (Toll Free) or complete our online information and contact form. We are one of the few firms in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

 A family owned sandwich maker from Raleigh, North Carolina, has stopped production and may have shut down -- at least temporarily -- in the wake of a  Listeria monocytogenes finding by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Fisher Rex Sandwich Co. makes the pre-packaged sandwiches for the regional convenience store industry and for vending machines -- a family business since 1928.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration published the Fisher Rex recall announcement this week, saying that any sandwich with a 7-digit code, starting with numerals 01, was subject to recall. Sandwiches with five-digit codes were said to be OK. 

The press release said production had ceased while the company worked with health investigators to determine the source of the contamination.

Now Raleigh-Durham television station WRAL is reporting that Fisher Rex is closing, laying off 40 workers.  

Listeriosis, the disease that comes with infection by Listeria, is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, the elderly, young children and people who have weakened immune systems, including some cancer patients. In a Listeria outbreak in Canada last year linked to deli meat made in Toronto, 22 people died.

Pregnant women are more likely to contract Listeriosis and it can cause miscarriage or stillbirth.

Public health officials are warning people in the Raleigh Durham area to look for Listeria symptoms, which may include flu-like fever and muscle aches, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. Other symptoms may include stiff neck, headache, loss of balance, confusion or convulsions.

Contact a physician if you or someone close to you is sick with these symptoms after eating a Fisher Rex sandwich. To protect your legal rights, contact a Listeria lawyer at national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen Attorneys. We are one of the few firms in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation and have collected millions for victims of food poisoning.

For a free case consultation, contact us at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free), or complete our online contact and information form . Foodborne illness is preventable and Pritzker Olsen has been a consistent voice for extensive reform of the U.S. food safety system, including more inspections of commercial food plants.

 

 

 

 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

 The Elgin, Illinois, company that makes Baking Classics brand nuts is recalling two products over concerns they could possibly be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

In a news release, John B. Sanfilippo & Son Inc. said no illnesses have been reported in connection with the recalls of 2-ounce bags of Baking Classics brand Mr. Topping or 16-ounce bags of Baking Classics brand walnut halves and pieces.

The walnut halves carry item code 03250, with a "Sell-by" date of 9/24/10.

The Nut Topping carry item code 02678, with a "Best by'' date of 9/28/10.

The two items subject to recall were distributed in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes  can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially serious disease. The most common manifestation of listeriosis is meningitis, which has symptoms of high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. Listeriosis can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths, as well as serious and sometimes fatal infections to infants, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems.

 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

The federal government has taken court action to shut down an Oakland sandwich maker for running a filthy plant that has repeatedly been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a dangerous pathogen most likely to hurt young children, older adults and pregnant women.

In conjunction with the enforcement action at Rel's Foods Inc., which sells its ready-to-eat sandwiches to convenience stores, delis, gas stations, liquor stores and other small retail outlets in California and Nevada, the California Department of Public Health has embargoed and seized all products inside the plant.

The permanent injunction filed late Thursday in U.S. District Court by the Department of Justice on behalf of the FDA requests a permanent injunction against Rel's to stop the company from selling adulterated food.

Tests have found Listeria "numerous times'' at the plant since 2002 and recently the infectious bacteria was found in sandwiches. A press release from the FDA said Rel's has an "extensive history of operating under insanitary conditions.''

Named in the injunction request are owner Peder Scott Sorensen and two managers, Patrick O'Malley and Timothy Ault.

Conditions at the plant include poor sanitation by workers, excessive condensation dripping on food-making surfaces and repeated violations of current good manufacturing requirements.

“Rel's lack of effective measures to bring its food processing operations into compliance with the law poses a serious public health threat,'' said Michael Chappell, FDA's acting associate commissioner for regulatory affairs.

Listeriosis, the illness caused by Listeria monocytogenes, can cause fatal infections in young children, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems, including cancer patients. Most likely to get the disease are pregnant women, who may suffer miscarriages or stillbirths as a result of the infection.

No illnesses have been reported, but if you or anyone you know has fallen sick and you have reason to believe it's from a Rel's sandwich, see a physician immediately. To protect your legal rights, call national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen Attorneys at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free).

Our firm has years of experience as a leading advocate for victims of food poisoning and we represent individuals sickened by Listeria, E. coli,  Salmonella, Campylobacter and other infectious disease agents found in contaminated food. For a free case consultation, complete our online Listeria compensation and contact form.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Researchers from Canada, the United States and Germany have learned howListeria monocytogenes spreads inside a person's body -- a discovery they hope will inform new approaches to keep the foodborne pathogen in check.

According to Exchangemagazine.com, University of Toronto professor Scott Gray-Owen led a team of scientists from his own university, the University of Central Florida and the University of Wurzburg, Germany. They confirmed that Listeria bacteria moves quickly from cell to cell via finger-like structures that push out of one cell to pierce into adjacent cells.

In a previously unknown finding, they discovered that the Listeria bug secretes a protein called InlC -- unique to Listeria -- that softens the junction between cells, making a breach easier. The findings are published in the current issue of Nature Cell Biology. The hope is that this discovery of a novel protein weakening cell walls will lead to new approaches and treatments to impede or block infections caused by Listeria.

In Canada last year, an outbreak of Listeriosis killed 22 people, all elderly. The disease was spread by contaminated deli meat made in Toronto. The deli meat Listeria outbreak showed how devastating the bacteria can be in people who have weakened immune systems. Young children and pregnant women also are more vulnerable to infection from this bacterium. Pregnant women are more likely to become infected than the general population and the disease can cause stillbirth or miscarriage.

National food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen attorneys has represented Listeria victims around the country. The firm has a national reputation for representing victims of food poisoning against major food companies, meat packers, commodities giants, food distributors, corporate farms, restaurants and insurance companies when contaminated food is the vehicle for disease in a family member. The firm has collected tens of millions for victims of all types of food poisoning. To contact a lawyer by phone, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free). For a free case consultation via the Internet, complete one of our online forms.

 PritzkerOlsen has been a steadfast advocate for prevention of foodborne illness and has called on many occasions for stronger food safety laws, including a more effective inspection network. Our law firm also supports education initiatives to create public awareness of foodborne illness threats and repeatedly informs consumers of food safe strategies.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

 A ton of individually wrapped burritos -- none of which have individual package coding -- are under Listeria recall by a California food company after the product was shipped to a Minnesota warehouse for further distribution.

The burrito recall, announced Friday, was spurred by the company's own finding of Listeria monocytogenes -- a potentially deadly bacterium in a batch of "Butcher Boy Red Chile Beef and Been Burritos'' made August 3 at the Riverside, California, plant of Windsor Foods.

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) says it will publish on the internet a list of stores where the burritos were to be sold when the list becomes available. FSIS says it has not received reports of illness associated with the recall.

The Butcher Boy Red Chile Beef and Bean Burritos were shipped frozen in 18-pound bulk cases, each carrying 72 individually wrapped items. The cases are marked with the USDA establishment number EST 1905, package code 1219215 and case code 2080001. Total weight was 2,268 pounds.

If pregnant women consume food contaminated with Listeria, there is potential to cause stillbirth and miscarriage. But if an infection is caught early, antibiotics can potentially keep the baby safe. Although Listeriosis is not as common as other foodborne illnesses, it can be deadly when infections hit small children, the elderly and others with weakened immune systems.

For instance, a terrible Listerosis outbreak in Canada last year killed 22 people. The outbreak was caused by contaminated deli meats made in Toronto. The outbreak underscored the reality that Listeria is unlike other pathogens because it can survive and grow in refrigerators, at low temperatures.

If you have symptoms like neck stiffness, nausea and fever, see a doctor. A blood test will confirm if you have Listeriosis. To protect your legal rights against the company or restaurant that made you sick, contact national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen attorneys at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free).

Our firm is one of the few in the nation practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation and we have collected tens of millions for victims of food poisoning, including Listeria. To receive a free case consultation, complete one of our online contact forms.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Kellogg Company has temporarily shut down a frozen foods plant in Atlanta after the Georgia Department of Health detected  Listeria monocytogenes in a sample of buttermilk Eggo waffles at the plant.

While no illnesses have been reported, the company recalled certain packs of Eggo Cinnamon Toast waffles (10 count) and Eggo Toaster Swirlz Cinnamon Roll Minis (eight count).

• The waffles have UPC code 3800040440 with “Best If Used Before” dates beginning with:   NOV22 10 EA, NOV23 10 EA and NOV24 10 EA.
• The "Toaster Swirlz'' have UPC code 3800023370  with a “Best If Used Before” date beginning with NOV15 10 EA.

A press release issued Wednesday from the Georgia Department of Agriculture said Kellogg's immediately began a program to clean and sanitize the plant. Listeria is an organism that is quite hardy and can withstand freezing temperatures, drying and heat remarkably well.

An infection presents itself with flu-like symptoms, but the onset of illness can range from a few days to three weeks after eating contaminated food. Listeria and pregnancy is a special hazard. The disease has a record of causing miscarriage and stillbirth.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are about 2,500 incidents of listeriosis a year in the U.S., including 500 deaths. If you or someone in your family has eaten food contaminated with Listeria and have become sick with blood poisoning, meningitis or other illness, you may be feeling shocked an confused.

If you want to talk about Listeria with an attorney, call national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen attorneys at 1-888-377-8900 (toll free), or fill in our online consultation form.  

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (4)
• Share Link

A finding of Listeria monocytogenes in kids' ready-to-eat meal kits has prompted the recall of certain Dinolunch and Lunch Buddies brand food packages.

The recall affects 39,514 pounds of product made by Big Boy Food Group of Warren, Michigan. The positive test for Listeria was made by the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service. As of now, the agency has not received any reports of illness in connection with the meal kits.

Listeria is an organism than can cause serious illness and death. It poses a special risk to women who are pregnant because Listeriosis can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth. A Listeria outbreak in Canada last year killed more than 20 people.

The FSIS press release on the Big Boy outbreak identified the following items as subject to the recall. They are all 3.6-ounce in size.

• Lunch Buddies Ham and Cheese. Each package bears the USDA establishment number EST 4205. Sell by/ Use by date of October 24, 2009.
• Lunch Buddies Turkey and Cheese. Each package bears the establishment number P - 4205. Sell by/ Use by date of October 24, 2009.
• Dinolunch Carnivore Ham & Cheese. Each package bears the establishment number EST 4205. Sell by/ Use by date of October 24, 2009.
• Dinolunch T-Rex Turkey and Cheese. Each package bears the establishment number   P - 4205. Sell by/ Use by date of October 24, 2009.

The Dinolunch items were made August 25 for distribution in Texas. The Lunch Buddies line was also produced August 25, but for distribution in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin.

If you have a sick child who consumed a recalled meal kit, see a doctor immediately. Listeria symptoms include flu-like fever and muscle aches, upset stomach and diarrhea; stiff neck, headache, loss of balance, confusion or convulsions; flu-like symptoms in pregnant women.

National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen attorneys has represented Listeria victims and is one of the country's leading practitioners of foodborne illness litigation. For more information about your legal rights when you have contracted Listeria from contaminated food, call our firm at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free). To receive a free case consultation, complete one of our online contact forms.  

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

A Texas company has recalled 207 pounds of smoked and fully cooked beef brisket that was distributed to Department of Defense commissaries in Oklahoma and New Mexico.

The product was made August 11 by Lone Star Brisket Co. of Thorndale, Texas. Routine testing by the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) detected Listeria monocytogenes, which prompted the recall. The FSIS said it has not received any complaints of illness related to the recalled products.

The product under recall is called Texas Star Meat Co. Smoked Beef Brisket fully cooked (and sliced). They come in two- to three-pound individually wrapped packages with Establishment Number 27340 stamped on the USDA mark of inspection.

Listeria monocytogenes occurs in food less often than other pathogens, but its consequences can be severe. Young children, the elderly and others who have compromised immune systems can suffer infections that lead to death. Listeriosis also can cause miscarriage and stillbirth in women who are pregnant.

If you or someone you know has become sick after eating brisket recalled by Lonestar, see a physician immediately. National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen attorneys has represented Listeria victims and has years of experience representing victims of all types of food poisoning. Our firm has collected tens of millions from companies that have sickened people with adulterated and contaminated food.

For more information or to talk to a Listeria attorney, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free). To receive a free case consultation via the Internet, complete one of our forms online.  

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

There have been numerous warnings lately about Mexican-style soft cheeses that may be contaminated with various different food bugs -- none of which should be taken lightly. The latest caution is a recall notice citing the possibility of Listeria monocytogenes in a Quesos Mi Pueblito product made in Passiac, N.J.

The Food and Drug Administration issued the company's press release, saying 14-ounce packages of Quesos Mi Pueblito Queso Fresco cheese may contain Listeria monocytogenes. The packages being recalled have a sell-by date of Sept. 8, 2009 and a UPC code of 2407710025.

No illnesses have been associated with the product, but a routine check taken by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services found contamination in a tested sample.

Quesos Mi Pueblito says the product is distributed to retail stores and wholesalers in New Jersey, New York City, Virginia and Delaware.

National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen attorneys has represented people who were infected by Listeria monocytogenes from adulterated food. An outbreak of Listeriosis in Canada last year killed 22 people. The bacterium can cause acute symptoms of diarrhea, sharp stomach pain, nausea, severe headache and fever.

Healthy adults often can overcome the disease with no treatment, but it can cause serious illness and death in small children, the elderly and others who have weakened immune systems. Listeria in Pregnant women  poses a special risk of miscarriage and stillbirth.

If you've become ill after eating Latin-style soft cheeses, including those sold by vendors in parking lots and streets, see a doctor immediately. Listeria infection is uncommon, but it is one of the deadliest forms of food poisoning and symptoms may not hit a person for 70 hours after ingestion.

If you or a loved one has been seriously sickened by Listeria or other foodborne illness, Pritzker Olsen will provide you a free case consultation via the Internet, if you submit our online form to our attorneys. We can also be reached by phone at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free).

Our law firm has collection millions on behalf of food poisoning victims and their families and we have been sought after as public speakers for our well-known public criticism of a U.S. food safety system that continually imperils people with contamination  that is preventable.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Little is known about how Listeria monocytogenes occurs in retail facilities. That's why the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is teaming up with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to initiate a risk assessment of the problem.

A public meeting is set for June 23 in Washington to discuss the scope and objectives of the project, which will focus on retail handling of cheeses, ready-to-eat meats and deli-type salads. It is assumed that certain retail practices may result in either cross-contamination from one product to another or through contamination from the retail environment itself.

The goal is to identify the hazards and devise interventions to control the pathogen.

Listeria monocytogenes killed 22 people in Canada last year in a major infectious disease outbreak caused by ready-to-eat deli meat made in Toronto. The organism causes Listeriosis, a disease that starts with flu-like symptoms and can sometimes bring on loss of balance, severe headaches, confusion or convulsions.

With Listeriosis, the onset of illness after consumption of contaminated food can take three weeks. Healthy adults rarely require medical treatment for infections, but Listeria monocytogenes is a dangerous health threat to pregnant women, young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems. Listeria in pregnant women can cause stillbirth and miscarriage.

If your or someone you know has contracted Listeria monocytogenes, our law firm, PritzkerOlsen, P.A., is one of the few in the country that practices extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation.  To contact a Listeria lawyer at our firm, call 1-800-377-8900 (Toll Free) or write to us online for a free case consultation. We have years of experience and prove success, collecting tens of million for victims of Listeria and other  types of food poisoning.

The public meeting in Washington regarding a risk assessment for Listeria at the retail level will be held Tuesday, June 23, 2009, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at L'Enfant Plaza Hotel, 480 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Washington, DC 20024. Pre-registration is encouraged, with details availble in the FSIS press release.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

At the same time federal health officials investigate a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul caused by alfalfa sprouts, they also are probing a sprouts-related outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes .

The Salmonella outbreak, with 31 confirmed illnesses in 6 states, has garned most of the publicity. In fact, all that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said about the Listeria outbreak is contained in a press release about the sprouts-related Salmonella outbreak.

 "CDC is also currently working with public health officials in several states and FDA to investigate an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked with eating alfalfa sprouts,'' the press release said.

The CDC did not say if the Listeria outbreak is associated with any specific product recalls, but a Connecticut company -- Amalgamated Produce Inc. of Bridgeport -- announced a recall on April 9. The recall was spurred by the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets' finding of Listeria contamination in sprouts from a random sample.

Amalgamated sells sprouts under label names including Specialty Farms, Vermont Sprout House, Nature's Promise and Brocco Sprouts in 11 northeastern states. Last week, the company expanded its sprouts recall to include four-ounce containers of Specialty Farms Organic Crunchy Sprouts or Organic Crunchy Pea Mix, also over Listeria concerns.

National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen currently is representing individuals sickened by sprouts contaminated with Salmonella. The firm, which is involved in practically all major outbreaks of foodborne illness, also is experienced in Listeria cases. The bacteria is potentially deadly for young children, the elderly or people with weakened immune systems. Listeria also is a threat to pregnant women, sometimes causing miscarriage and still birth.

If you or someone you know wants to consult with an attorney about a possible claim, contact a Listeria lawyer at PritzkerOlsen by calling 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or completing a free online case consultation.

Over the years, Pritzker Olsen has collected large sums on behalf of people injured or killed by adulterated food. Founder and president Fred Pritzker, along with the firm's other lawyers, are frequent guests and commentators about food safety issues and have been interviewed by and profiled in a number of media sources including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Associated Press and CNN.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

 A finding of Listeria monocytogenes in a test sample of refrigerated "Simply Potatoes Southwest Style Hash Browns'' prompted the Minnesota Department of Agriculture on Friday to issue a consumer advisory.

The agency said in a press release that no illnesses have been associated with the product, but the food company that makes the potatoes issued a voluntary recall including some related products. The affected products, listed here by national food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen Attorneys, have "use by'' dates of March 29, 2009, to April 3, 2009.

 

• Simply Potatoes Shredded Hash Browns, 20 oz bag, UPC 20169-22233
• Simply Potatoes Southwest Style Hash Browns, 20 oz bag, 20169-22236
• Simply Potatoes Homestyle Slices, 20 oz bag, 20169-22237
• Simply Potatoes Red Potato Wedges, 20 oz bag, 20169-22238
• Diners Choice Shredded Hash Browns, 2 lb bag, 20169-22223
• Farm Fresh Shredded Hash Browns, 16 oz bag, 20169-22533

The maker is Northern Star Co., a subsidiary of Minnetonka, Minnesota,-based Michael Foods Co.

Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially serious disease marked by fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis, but it can cause fatal infections in high-risk groups such as infants, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis can also lead to miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

A 120-year-old Wisconsin company is recalling 3,590 pounds of bacon bits that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced late Saturday.

The smoked, pre-cooked bacon bits were made by Patrick Cudahy of Cudahy, Wisconsin, on Nov. 13. They were distributed in 10-pound cases to restaurant and other institutional food accounts in California, Colorado, Florida, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin, the FSIS said.

The agency said no reports of illnesses have been associated with consumption of the prouducts. The pathogen was detected by in-house testing at one of the establishments that received the product.

According to the FSIS, the following products are subject to recall:

• 10-pound cases of "Golden Crisp APPLEWOOD SMOKED PRECOOKED BACON TOPPINGS." The products bear the establishment number of "EST. 28" inside the USDA mark of inspection as well as a printed Julian date of "8318."
• 10-pound cases of  "John Morrell APPLEWOOD SMOKED PRECOOKED BACON TIPPINGS."  The products bear the establishment number "EST. 28" inside the USDA mark of inspection as well as a printed Julian date of "8318."

Here are the product labels:

Consumption of food containing Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a potentially fatal disease that rarely occurs in healthy people. The young, old and immuno-compromised are at risk for contracting the disease. Listeria also can lead to stillbirth and miscarriage in pregnant women.

Symptoms of Listeria monocytogenes infection include high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Burritos made in Denver and sold at retail convenience stores on Dec. 24 and 25 have been recalled by the maker after tests by the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) determined they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The FSIS said in a press release that Home Fresh Sandwich Distributors Inc. of Denver is recalling 172 pounds of the 5.3-ounce packages, which were produced Dec. 23. No illnesses have been reported in connection with the recall, but consumption of food containing Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal disease.

The FSIS said the recall pertains to 5.3-ounce packages of "7- ELEVEN Fresh to Go BURRITO WITH POTATOES, BACON, EGGS, & MONTEREY JACK CHEESE" with a "Best By" date of "Thursday 1225." The products bear the establishment number "EST. 19496" inside the USDA mark of inspection.

 Symptoms of infection by Listeria monocytogenes include severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis, but infants, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems can be at risk for infection. In addition, pregnant women who eat food contaminated by the bacteria are at risk for stillbirth and miscarriage.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Routine testing found Listeria monocytogenes at a St. Louis sausage shop, prompting a recall on Christmas Day of 750 pounds of product sold over the shop's retail counter in unmarked butcher paper. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service detected the bacteria and announced the recall of 750 pounds of various sizes of Krakow sausage from T. Piekutowski European Style Saugage.

The potentially tainted sausage was made Dec. 18 and would have been purchased by consumers on the 18th and 19th, the press release said. No illnesses have been reported in connection with the recall.

The custom-wrappped packages contain no USDA inspection label.

Consumption of food contaminated by Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially deadly disease. Symptomsare flu-like and include high fever, neck stiffness, nausea and severe headache. Listeria can cause stillbirth and miscarriage in pregnant women.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

One-pound packages of Sopressata mild sausage may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and are being recalled by DeNiro Cheese of Youngstown, Ohio, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said late Friday.

The sausage, made in Canada and distributed to a single specialty retailer in Boardman, Ohio, showed positive for Listeria monocytogenes in routine microbiological testing by FSIS. The agency said it has received no reports of illness in relation to the recall.

According to the FSIS, the sausage was produced Oct. 9, was stamped with a use-by date of 7/09/09, carried a product code of 91009 and was labeled with a Canadian mark of inspection with the code 476A inside the mark.

Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria can cause Listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially deadly disease. Young children, the elderly and people with weak immune systems are most vulnerable. Infections in pregnant women can cause stillbirth and miscarriage. The pathogen can cause high fever, severe headaches, neck stiffness and nausea.

Consumers with questions about the recall should call President Greg DeNiro at 330-746-6011.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

A Framingham, Mass., food company has suspended manufacturing of its imitation cream cheese and imitation peanut butter as it investigates what caused Listeria monocytogenes to contaminate a test sample. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in news release that Cambrooke Foods LLC also is recalling all batches of the imitation cream cheese and "Peanot Butter'' from distributors' shelves and consumers' kitchens.

The company said Listeria bacteria was found in random testing at its Randolph, Mass., plant before shipment. The recalls are precautionary and not related to any outbreak of illness, according to the news release.

The FDA press release said the following Cambrooke products should be discarded:

• Cheddar Wizard Low Protein Imitation Cream Cheese
• Herb & Garlic Low Protein Imitation Cream Cheese
• Plain Low Protein Imitation Cream Cheese
• Low Protein Peanot Butter

The products are sold to consumers who have special dietary needs. The company said it has ceased production and distribution of the products while it investigates the Listeria problem with the FDA.

Listeria monocytogenes is a pathogen that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems. The bacteria also can cause still birth and miscarriage in pregnant women.

Pritzker Law is one of the few law firms in the United States that practices extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation. The firm has collected millions of dollars on behalf of victims of E. coli poisoning and other foodborne illnesses. For more information, visit http://www/pritzkerlaw.com or contact Fred Pritzker at (612) 338-0202. The firm's offices are at Plaza VII, Suite 2950, 45 South Seventh Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

A Massachusetts company has recalled 5,250 pounds of "Blimpie" ready-to-eat frozen beef sandwich portions because they may be contaminated with Llisteria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced late Friday.

 FSIS said it has received no reports of illnesses in connection with the sandwiches and that the bacteria was detected through testing by the manufacturer, Home Market Foods Inc. of Norwood, Mass.

The recall applies to 3.5-ounce, individually wrapped "Blimpie fully cooked seasoned beef shaved steaks thinkly sliced with onions'' made Nov. 14, 17, 18 and 20th and distributed to retail outlets in the Atlanta metro area, California, Florida, Illinois and New York.

Each label bears the establishment number "2727" inside the USDA mark of inspection. The corresponding Julian date codes are "3198," "3228," and "3238.''

Initial symptoms of listeriosis are usually flu-like. Because most people are resistant to the illness and contamination is relatively rare, listeriosis is uncommon. However, certain populations are much more susceptible to infection, and of the 1,000 to 2,500 people who are infected each year in the U.S,, 25 percent die as a result of the infection. 

Listeriosis also can cause miscarriages and stillbirths. Listeria outbreaks are most commonly associated with ready-to-eat meat foods, including hot dogs and sandwiches. 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

More than 28,000 pounds of hot dogs made in Alabama are being recalled by the manufacturer after regulatory testing found the meat products could be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The recall was announced Saturday, Nov. 8, by the USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) after the problem was discovered by the Georgia State Department of Agriculture. The FSIS said it has not received any reports of illnesses associated with consumption of the hot dogs, which were made Sept. 22 by R.L. Zeigler Co. Inc. of Selma

According to the USDA, the packages were sold to wholesale and retail outlets in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee. 

Listeria monocytogenes is bacteria that  can cause serious, sometimes fatal infections in infants, the elderly and those with weak immune systems. Listeriosis in pregnant woman  can cause miscarriage and  stillbirths.

The recall covers certain packages of Zeigler brand hot dogs, skinless weiners, jumbo franks and "par-ti pups.''

A complete list of the recalled items, including packaging codes, is listed on the FSIS website.

  

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Capitol Blog reports that the Ohio Department of Agriculture has confirmed a contaminated submarine sandwich with Listeria monocytogenes.  The sandwich was discovered at a Circle K store in Willoughby, Ohio.  Although the sandwich tested positive for Listeria, there have been no illnesses associated with that particular sandwich or any others at this point.

An inspector from the Ohio Department of Agriculture took a sample of an American Submarine from the store on August 18, which then tested positive for the bacteria. Circle K’s sandwich provider was found to be Landshire, Inc. which is located in Bellville, Illinois.  Since the sandwich was confirmed to have Listeria, Landshire, Inc. has requested that all stores remove American Submarines from shelves.

Listeria can be a very dangerous bacterium, especially for young children and the elderly, as well as those with weak immune systems.  Listeria can sometimes be fatal, but also includes symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Listeria has also been known to cause miscarriages and stillbirths when infecting pregnant women.

 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

A Massachusetts Department of Public Health press release warns consumers about a possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination in ready-to-eat roller sandwiches produced by DBC, Inc. (also known as World Class Canapes, Inc.). The sandwiches were distributed to Roche Brothers and Sudbury Farms stores in Massachusetts.

The sandwiches were marked as “Progressive Gourmet Buffalo Chicken Roller Sandwich,” “Progressive Gourmet Chicken Caesar Roller Sandwich,” and “Progressive Gourmet Honey Turkey with Baby Spinach Roller Sandwich.”  The sandwiches were produced on July 30, and it is unlikely they remain for sale in retail stores.  The sandwiches may have been repackaged in stores or used by caterers, thus bearing no labels.

Listeriosis can be dangerous, even deadly, for those with weakened immune symptoms. Those who are experiencing symptoms of listeriosis should seek medical attention immediately.  No illnesses have been reported associated with this recall. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is also working with the USDA to find the source of contamination at the production facility.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Vita Food Products, Inc. of Chicago, Illinois has notified the public that twelve individual packages of Vita Nova Salmon, were sold at Kroger stores in Houston, Texas on or after July 22 of this year may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

In addition, 192 individual packages of this same product have either possibly been sold or are being offered for sale at various grocery stores in the Avenol, New Jersey metropolitan area.

The product that is the subject of this public announcement and recall are packages (deep dark blue in color) of smoked salmon that bear the Vita logo in the upper left corner on the part of the packaging that is immediately visible to the consumer. Each package contains 4-10 bacon-style slices (total 3 oz.) of smoked salmon; the slices are contained in a vacuum pack within a box that is 4" wide by 7.5 " in length by 1/2 " in thickness. IMPORTANT: The Code Date of 11/16/08 198 is on the left end flap of each package. This announcement and recall only applies to packages that bear that CODE DATE.

According to the Vita Food Products press release, "To date, no confirmed illnesses or complaints have been reported by customers." Because the incubation period for Listeria is generally 3 weeks and can be as long as 70 days, no one would have been sickened yet. Everyone who ate some of the Salmon should watch for Listeria symptoms. 

Pregnant women who consumed any of the Vita Nova Salmon in question should watch for mild, flu-like symptoms. Pregnant women who contract Listeria infections usually do not become seriously ill, but they often have miscarriages, still births and early deliveries. Read Listeria miscarriage information.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Kroger customers in the Houston, Texas area are being warned about packaged salmon.  Vita Nova says that 12 packages of smoked salmon sold since July 22 may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. According to the Houston Chronicle, the recalled product is dark blue packages of smoked salmon that bear the “Vita” logo.  The packages contain 3 ounces of bacon-style slices of smoked salmon.  The affected products bear a code date of Nov. 16, 2008 on the left end flap. There have been no confirmed cases of listeriosis associated with this product.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Salmolux Inc. of Federal Way, Washington has recalled lot # 01418 of its Wild Alaskan Smoked Salmon Nova Lox sold in 3 ounce packages due to the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

After routine testing by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Listeria monocytogenes was found in 3 ounce packages of Wild Alaskan Smoked Salmon Nova Lox.

The recalled lot # 01418 of Wild Alaskan Smoked Salmon Nova Lox was distributed in Arizona, California, and Nevada, in Von's retail outlets and to Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Virginia in Food Lion retail outlets.

The product comes in a 3 ounce, blue package marked with lot # 01418 on its rear white label bearing the name of the product, its ingredients, and an expiration date.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Fresca Italia of Brisbane, CA is recalling Burrata, a type of cheese, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. This product was distributed in the San Francisco Bay Area and Southern California in retail stores and restaurants.

This product weighs approximately 8.8oz and is packaged in a white and green plastic wrapper with the manufacturer’s name, "Caseificio Voglie di Latte" and the product name "Burrata." ALL LOT CODES AND EXPIRATION DATES from this manufacturer are subject to recall. Previously, the only batch subject to the recall will be labeled with the expiration date of 24/5/2008. The following quantities were distributed:

• 606 lbs with the Lot Code 24/5/2008
• 661 lbs with the Lot Code 31/5/2008
• 490 lbs with the Lot Code 07/06/2008

The recall is the result of survey sampling by the California Dept. of Food & Agriculture which revealed that the product in question contained Listeria. Fresca Italia has immediately halted further distribution. Positive results for Listeria were found in other lots of the product by the Food and Drug Administration.

Our lawyers have recovered millions for people sickened by food contaminated with Listeria and the families of people who died after eating food contaminated with Listeria. Contact us about liability, money damages and other Listeria lawsuit issues. Please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll-free), email our lawyers or submit our free case consultation form.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Cecina Los Amigos of Carson, California is voluntarily recalling approximately 290 pounds of pork blood sausages due to possible contamination with the Listeria monocytogenes.

The following product is being recalled:

• 10-pound vacuum-sealed packages of "Cecina Los Amigos Pork Blood Sausage (Moronga)."  The label bears the establishment number "EST. 21654" inside3 the USDA mark of inspection.  

The pork blood sausages were produced on May 14, 2008 and were sent to retail establishments in northern California.  Possible contamination was found during routine FSIS testing.  No illnesses have been reported. 

Ingestion of Listeria can cause listeriosis, a potentially fatal disease.  Listeriosis is especially dangerous for pregant women as it can lead to miscarriages and stillbriths.  It also carries greater risk among young children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems such as persons with HIV or undergoing chemotherapy.  Symptoms of listeriosis include high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, nausea, confusion and convulsions. 

If you have consumed recalled pork blood sausages and are experiencing symptoms of listeriosis, please go to an emergency room immediately. 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Supreme Cuts LLC has announced a voluntary recall of its “Off the Cob Fresh Kernel Corn” due to a contamination of Listeria monocytognes.  The product comes in 12 oz. clear plastic bags. The affected products also have a “Best if Used By” date of May 26, 2008 and bear Lot #5343.  Other packages of the corn with different dates and lot numbers are not affected by the Listeria contamination (US Recall News).

Supreme Cuts produced 87 cases of the affected product which were distributed to a limited number of stores in New Jersey and Massachusetts. All retailers were notified of the recall. The packaging says to cook the raw corn, which will eliminate the Listeria, but due to risk of undercooking or contaminating other foods, it is recommended that the product be discarded.

Listeriosis can be very dangerous and even fatal. No illnesses have been reported that relate to the Supreme Cuts product, but any symptoms should be reported immediately to a health professional.  Supreme Cuts has halted production of its Kernel Corn so that the source of contamination may be identified.  All of their products are produced independently of each other, so no other products from Supreme Cuts are affected by this recall.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

USDA-FSIS has announced a pork blood sausage recall due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. Cecina Los Amigos, a Carson, California firm, is recalling about 290 pounds of pork blood sausages described as follows:

10-pound vacuum-sealed packages of “CECINA LOS AMIGOS PORK BLOOD SAUSAGE (MORONGA).” The label bears the establishment number “EST. 21653” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

According to the recall announcement, the pork blood sausages were produced on May 14, 2008 and were distributed to retail establishments in northern California.

The Listeria problem was discovered by routine FSIS microbiological sampling. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of products subject to this recall.

Because the incubation period for Listeria can be as long as 70 days (median incubation period 3 weeks), anyone who has eaten the pork blood sausage subject to this recall should watch for Listeria symptoms and immediately seek medical attention if symptoms appear.

To contact our law firm, please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll-free), e-mail our lawyers or submit our free case consultation form.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Yet another Listeria recall this month. Sweetwater Valley Farm, Inc. of Philadelphia, Tennessee has recalled Tennessee Aged Black Pepper Cheese.  The recalled Tennessee Aged Black Pepper Cheese is Lot Number 616-361 (consumers check the lot number on your Sweetwater Valley Farm cheese to see if it is part of the recall). The recalled cheese was distributed in 5, 7, and 10 ounce bars through The Sweetwater Valley Farm retail store in Philadelphia, Tennessee and a Winery in Portland, Tennessee. 

Although less than 100 pounds of recalled cheese was distributed, this is still a serious recall. Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious injury or death, and it is particularly dangerous for the elderly, the immunocompromised and unborn children. Many of the documented cases of Listeria involve pregnant women who have lost an unborn child (or newly born child) who was infected with the pathogen.  Read about Listeria miscarriage.

The recalled Sweetwater Valley Farm cheese was distributed between December 27, 2007 and May 12, 2008. No illnesses have been reported, which does not mean that no one has been sickened or that no one will become sickened. CDC estimates that most cases of Listeria are not reported. Also, the incubation period for Listeria can be as long as 70 days, making finding the source of a case of listeriosis (Listeria infection) extremely difficult.   

The recall was the result of a routine sampling program by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, which revealed that the finished product contained the bacteria. The company has ceased the distribution of this lot as the company continues their investigation as to what caused the problem.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

This month there have been at least three recalls of food products due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, a foodborne pathogen that can cause serious illness and death. Listeria contamination almost always involves ready-to-eat products, which are marketed as not needing to be cooked by the consumer. This means there is no opportunity for destruction of the pathogen with heat prior to consumption. 

Below are the food products that have been recalled in May due to possible Listeria contamination. Please feel free to pass on this information.

• Bright Water Smoked Salmon & Cheese Spread
  Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin announced today that Georgia Department of Agriculture food scientists have found Listeria monocytogenes in a sample of Bright Water Smoked Salmon & Cheese Spread. The contamination was found in a seven-ounce package marked BEST BY 060608.  The UPC code is 1971100073. The spread is manufactured by Bright Water Seafoods, LLC, of Charlotte, N.C.  28217.  The contamination was discovered by the Georgia Department of Agriculture as part of its sampling program. The Georgia Department of Agriculture has notified the FDA, and we expect to see an announcement on the FDA site within the next few days.
• R&R Alsatian Beef Jerky Recall
  The Texas Department of State Health Services has announced that R&R Alsatian Sausage and Products is recalling beef jerky sold in bulk quantities at its Castroville location on April 25 and later due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.  Texas Department of State Health Services laboratory testing detected Listeria monocytogenes in samples of the beef jerky.  The testing was done as part of a routine state inspection.
• Gourmet Boutique Recall - Chicken Salad and Wraps
  Gourmet Boutique, L.L.C., a Jamaica, New York firm, has recalled approximately 286,320 pounds of fresh and frozen meat and poultry products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Read more about the Gourmet Boutique recall (includes a long list of products).

   

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Listeria, an often-fatal foodborne pathogen, may be useful in the fight against cancer. According to research done by Advaxis Inc., a live Listeria cancer vaccine, Lovaxin C, may have helped 15 women with advanced cervical cancer:

“We are using Listeria to deliver tumor-specific antigens to the immune system in a manner that we feel results in maximal immune and tumor-clearing response,” said John Rothman, PhD, vice president of clinical development at Advaxis, which is developing Lovaxin C.

The trial included 15 women with progressive, recurrent or advanced cervical cancer. All patients had failed chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery. The women had metastatic disease and most were stage IVb.

Listeria monocytogenes infects antigen presenting cells (APCs) — “a very special piece of immune real estate,” Rothman said. These cells instruct the immune system what to attack. Listeria thrives within APCs and Advaxis’ Lovaxin vaccines have the ability to direct a strong immune attack against whatever tumor target is bioengineered into the vaccine. Lovaxin C is engineered as a therapy for people who have cancer caused by HPV.

“We bioengineer Listeria both to attenuate it and to cause it to secrete a tumor-specific antigen fused to a listerial protein, which makes it more effective than Listeria that just secretes the tumor antigen,” Rothman said. “By doing this we focus a very strong immune attack against the antigen in question, which is typically specific to a tumor.

“What we’re doing is taking advantage of millennia of evolution that enabled Listeria to infect human immune systems, and an equal amount of evolution that enables humans to get rid of Listeria once this occurs. We are then co-opting and redirecting all of these complex immune responses and targeting them against cancer,” Rothman said.

The above quote is from an Advaxis press release.  At the bottom of the press release it states, "At the time of this writing, 6 of 13 patients evaluable for efficacy are still alive."  (Reality check: Clinical studies aren't about drugs; they are about people.) We hope additional research and development will produce a cure for this deadly cancer.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company is alerting customers to a Chang Farm Soy Sprouts recall.  The voluntary recall by Chang Farm involves Chang Farm Brand 12oz packages of Soy Sprouts with a sell-by date of April 19, 2008 and a UPC code of 00 29899 0100.

The product is being recalled because of the possible presence of Listeria bacteria.  Contamination with Listeria in food such as sprouts represents a significant danger to public health.

According to a Stop & Shop press release, upon being notified of the recall, Stop & Shop immediately removed from its shelves the affected product.

Do not eat the recalled Chang Farm Soy Sprouts. Listeria infections can be fatal, particularly for unborn babies, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems.

If you are diagnosed with listeriosis, contact a Listeria lawyer at our law firm.  We have recently obtained a significant recovery in a Listeria case.  An attorney at our office would be happy to discuss our experience with Listeria lawsuits and your case.  To contact an attorney, please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll-free), e-mail our lawyers or submit our free case consultation form.

Information on Stop & Shop from their press release:

The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company, based in Quincy, Massachusetts,
employs more than 59,000 associates and operates 389 stores throughout
Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire, New York
and New Jersey.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

The Pennsylvania Agriculture Department is urging consumers who purchased raw milk from the following dairy farms anytime after March 10 to discard the milk immediately due to the risk of Listeria monocytogenes:

1. Piney Ridge dairy farm in New Bethlehem, Clarion County
2. Clark and Elaine Duncan's farm in Meadville, Crawford Count

Pennsylvania farms selling raw milk must be permitted and inspected to reduce health risks associated with the unpasteurized products. In 2007, a previous case of Listeria monocytogenes was found at Piney Ridge dairy.

"During routine testing, samples taken at the dairies tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes," said Dennis Wolff, Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary. "If consumers have raw milk from these farms, they should discard it immediately."

If you suspect that someone has been sickened by the recalled Piney Ridge Dairy milk or Duncan Farm milk, you should not discard of the milk until you have contacted an experienced Listeria attorney.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has suspended sales of raw milk at the dairies and is requiring corrective action be taken. Samples were taken from the farms on March 31; they tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes on April 4. Multiple laboratory samples must test negative before sales can resume.

No illnesses have been reported as a result of the potential contamination, but if people who consumed the raw milk become ill, they should consult their physicians.  Symptoms of listeriosis are 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. Infected pregnant women may experience only a mild, flu-like illness, but infections during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth.

Symptoms of listeriosis can appear in four days to three weeks.  And symptoms can take as long as 70 days to appear in rare cases.  This makes tracking a Listeria outbreak extremely difficult.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has warned consumers to discard raw milk purchased from Fisher’s Dairy Farm in Portersville, PA due to a high risk of Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The dairy’s permit to sell raw milk was revoked in 2006, but state inspectors purchased raw milk from the dairy on March 6. Samples taken from the milk tested positive for Listeria four days later. Symptoms related to Listeria can be quite severe, resulting in death and miscarriage. No illnesses have been reported in this case.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

The contamination of Discover Cuisine Red Curry Chicken & Jasmine Rice due to Listeria has led to recalls by three major companies.  Costco Wholesale is recalling 10,368 pounds of the frozen entrees, Inovata Foods is recalling 3,780 pounds, and Meijer Distribution Center is recalling 2,184 pounds.

All of the recalled products contain the following information:

12-ounce packages of “Discover Cuisine Red Curry Chicken & Jasmine Rice.” Each package bears the Canadian establishment number “Est. 302” inside the Canadian Food Inspection Agency mark of inspection as well as a “Best By” date of “12 18 08.”

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

The USDA’s FSIS has announced the voluntarily recall of chicken entrees by Meijer Distribution Center of Grand Rapids, Michigan.  The recall involves approximately 2,184 pounds of the frozen entrees due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The recall is related to Costco Wholesale’s voluntarily recall of the same product.

The recalled product is described as follows:

12-ounce packages of “Discover Cuisine ™ Red Curry Chicken & Jasmine Rice.” Each package bears the Canadian establishment number “Est. 302” inside the Canadian Food Inspection Agency mark of inspection as well as a “Best By” date of “12 18 08.”

The entrees were produced on October 18, 2007 and were made available to distributors and retailers in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. FSIS discovered the possible contamination through a microbiological sampling.

Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal disease. Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis. However, listeriosis can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. Listeriosis can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths, as well as serious and sometimes fatal infections in those with weakened immune systems, such as infants, the elderly and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy.

No illnesses have been reported due to this recall.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Costco Wholesale, a Washington firm, has recalled approximately 10,368 pounds of frozen chicken entrées that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Costco recall announcement.

The following product is subject to recall:

Four-pack of 12-ounce packages of "Discover Cuisine ™ Red Curry Chicken & Jasmine Rice." Each package bears the Canadian establishment number "Est. 302" inside the Canadian Food Inspection Agency mark of inspection as well as a "Best By" date of "12 18 08." The item number "2880" also appears by the UPC code on the package.

The frozen chicken entrées were produced on Oct. 18, 2007, and were sent to retail establishments in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah and Washington.

The problem was discovered through FSIS microbiological sampling. FSIS has conducted a regulatory microbiological testing program on poultry products since 1983.
When FSIS analysis finds a positive sample, any product represented by that sample must be reprocessed or destroyed. If all product implicated by a positive laboratory result is not under the establishment's control, as in this case, then “steps must be taken by the producing establishment to remove adulterated product from distribution channels and/or commerce, which may entail a voluntary recall” (http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Science/Micro_Testing_RTE/index.asp).

Our question with regard to this recall and the related recall by Meijer Distribution Center, a Michigan firm, is why it over 4 months after the production of the recalled frozen chicken entries for the companies to voluntarily recall the products. Most of these products are conveniently already eaten.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

The Listeria outbreak linked to Whittier Farms milk took the lives of 4 people, 3 elderly men and an unborn baby. A recent article in the Worcester Telegram provides a look at how epidemiologists (infectious disease “detectives”) at the Massachusetts public health laboratory uncovered the source of the outbreak using DNA fingerprinting:

State health workers had little to go on when they began their investigations in November, and no idea that a sample of pasteurized milk would eventually be tied to an outbreak lasting at least six months and involving three counties.

. . . Health officials said their first evidence of an outbreak also wound up breaking the case. That happened in November when the family of an elderly man who had fallen ill told hospital officials he may have consumed unpasteurized apple cider purchased at a farm stand in Norfolk County. Hospital staff advised the family to bring the cider to local health officials. The family brought in both the cider and a bottle of coffee-flavored milk purchased at the same stand. The local health agent sent the samples on to the state lab.

. . . To track down the bacterial culprits, epidemiologists began work on the fourth floor of the state lab. The organisms that are cultured from the milk and cider samples are put in a solution, which is heated up to release DNA, according to Dr. Linda Han, director of the lab’s Division of Microbiology. The DNA is placed in a dish with gel to sit for a day. The gel-encased DNA then is cut up by enzymes, a process that takes about two hours.

Next, the DNA was placed in a four-sided GEL DOC 2000, a pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) machine, to obtain a genetic fingerprint. Over 20 hours, the machine sent alternate electrical pulses to the DNA, one side at a time. The ultraviolet light made the DNA “glow,” and a specialized software program photographed the deadly bacteria’s unique “barcodes.” The barcodes — or fingerprints — were uploaded into a computer, and laboratorians (laboratory analysts, technicians and scientists) then see whether they matched other genetic profiles already in the system.

. . . Officials were amazed when they discovered that the fingerprint of listeria bacteria in the milk sample provided by the patient’s family exactly matched the fingerprint of listeria found in a milk sample taken from the Whittier bottling plant.

While epidemiologists were required to go back 120 days to see whether there were any other genetic matches, they looked back several months more than that, and determined there were matches with four other patterns in their database.

We commend the epidemiologists and others who uncovered the source of this outbreak and went beyond what was required to find victims from as far back as June of 2007. Our experience is that knowing the source of a loved ones illness gives the families some closure and aids in the healing process. To contact a lawyer about a Listeria lawsuit, please call our firm toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s free case consultation form.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has advised consumers to avoid smoked pork and beef bratwurst produced by J&B Meats of Barnesville, Minnesota, with the lot number PBB30306, and Minnesota State Establishment Number 1198.  The recalled beef and pork bratwurst may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.

The bratwurst was sold at the J&B Meats retail store in Barnesville.  The contamination was found during a routine test, and the Department of Agriculture has not reported any related illnesses.  Because some of the sausages were frozen when sold, it is possible for Listeria cases associated with the recalled bratwurst to surface months from now.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

The FDA will be revising policy regulations on Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods to distinguish between RTE foods that support Listeria growth and those that do not.  Currently there is a “zero tolerance” standard for all RTE foods, allowing zero colony forming units per gram of food (cfu/g).  The new standard will allow RTE foods that do not support Listeria growth to have 100 cfu/g of food.

The FDA will be publishing a Compliance Policy Guide which will define RTE foods that do not support Listeria growth according to the following criteria:

• The pH of the food is less than or equal to 4.4; or

• Is customarily held and consumed in a frozen state; or

• The water activity of the food is less than or equal to 0.92; or

• Is processed using an effective listeristatic control measure

The FDA will continue to have a “zero tolerance” policy for RTE foods that do support Listeria growth, which allows up to 0.04 cfu/g of food.  RTE foods that do not support Listeria growth will be modified to allow up to 100 cfu/g of food. The new policy is similar to those in Europe and Canada, however the USDA’s FSIS has not yet changed their “zero tolerance” policy.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Whittier Farms, source of a widespread Listeria outbreak in Massachusetts, has started to sell milk again at its farm store, but not milk from the dairy.  Wayne Whittier, owner of Whittier Farms has stated that “the milk production and bottling plant, it won’t be a place where Whittier Farms will operate again.”

According to the Worcester Telegram,

He indicated that the family hasn’t decided if it will resume production elsewhere someday. He noted that recipes for Whittier specialties, such as chocolate milk and eggnog, are being kept in a safe place.

The Whittier Farms outbreak has been linked to a contamination of Listeria in coffee-flavored and other specialty milks, occurring after the pasteurization process.  Three men died along with two pregnant women, including one miscarriage due to listeriosis.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

The Washington State Department of Agriculture has announced the recall of coconut-flavored frozen dessert manufactured by Ca Rem #1 Ice Cream, SeaTac.  Ca Rem #1 is voluntarily recalling its coconut-flavored, non-dairy frozen dessert due to possible Listeria contamination.

The Ca Rem #1 recall was initiated after routine sampling and analysis by the Washington State Department of Agriculture revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes.  According to a story on  seattlepi.com (Seattle-Post  Intelligencer):

 

A Department of Agriculture inspector randomly selected the contaminated dessert Jan. 14 at Asian Planet Food Market in Kent as part of routine food testing, spokesman Jason Kelly said.

Test results returned eight days later showed it was contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a harmful bacterium. The Department of Agriculture determined the product's distribution area and initiated the recall Friday.

The dessert was made in Hillman City, where the retail and wholesale ice cream business was located until being licensed in SeaTac earlier this month, according to the Department of Agriculture.

Ca Rem #1 is owned by Jackie Bell, a Vietnam native who makes nondairy frozen desserts with coconut milk and fruit. She also owned Le Bambou, a now-defunct Vietnamese cafe in Hillman City.

The recalled Ca Rem #1 dessert is sold in 3 oz. un-coded plastic bags, primarily in Asian food markets and restaurants in western Washington and western Oregon.

No one has reported an illness related to this recall, but the incubation period for Listeria can be as long as 70 days.  Consumers who have purchased Ca Rem #1 desserts should throw out the product and not eat it.

“We continue to work with the company to recall all product that is still in stores,” said Claudia Coles, manager of WSDA’s Food Safety Program. “We know that these desserts can stay in freezers for months, so families should take a second look at what they’ve been saving for a special treat.”

Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look or smell spoiled. Consumption of food contaminated with these bacteria may cause listeriosis, a food-borne illness. Listeriosis can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. Pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk. Infected pregnant women may experience only a mild, flu-like illness, but infections during pregnancy can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn or even stillbirth.

To contact a Listeria attorney, please call our firm toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm's free case consultation form.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

The Listeria outbreak linked to pasteurized milk products from Whittier Farms has brought to light the dangers of pasteurized food.  Health officials believe that the contamination of the Whittier Farms milk happened during processing, after pasteurization.  Although pasteurization killed any pathogens in the milk, contamination still occurred during the bottling process. 

Even though post-pasteurization contamination can occur, pasteurized milk is still safer than raw milk.

The pasteurization process effectively kills many pathogens, including Listeria, in milk,  Food safety advocates are generally pro pasteurization and against the sale of raw milk.  The FDA has nothing good to say about raw milk:

Pasteurization, since its adoption in the early 1900s, has been credited with dramatically reducing illness and death caused by contaminated milk. But today, some people are passing up pasteurized milk for what they claim is tastier and healthier "raw milk."

Public health officials couldn't disagree more.

Drinking raw (untreated) milk or eating raw milk products is "like playing Russian roulette with your health," says John Sheehan, director of the Food and Drug Administration's Division of Dairy and Egg Safety. "We see a number of cases of foodborne illness every year related to the consumption of raw milk."

More than 300 people in the United States got sick from drinking raw milk or eating cheese made from raw milk in 2001, and nearly 200 became ill from these products in 2002, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Raw milk may harbor a host of disease-causing organisms (pathogens), such as the bacteria campylobacter, escherichia, listeria, salmonella, yersinia, and brucella. Common symptoms of foodborne illness from many of these types of bacteria include diarrhea, stomach cramps, fever, headache, vomiting, and exhaustion.

Proponents of raw milk believe pasteurized milk is unhealthy, as indicated by this passage found on the website BecomeNatural.com:

Pasteurization destroys enzymes, diminishes vitamin content, denatures fragile milk proteins, destroys vitamins C, B12 and B6, kills beneficial bacteria, promotes pathogens and is associated with allergies, increased tooth decay, colic in infants, growth problems in children, osteoporosis, arthritis, heart disease and cancer.

The raw milk debate has been brought before federal courts. According to Marketwire,

The public health community has been united in stating that consumption of raw milk is not healthful, but, in fact, is harmful. This matter has been litigated and, in the matter of Public Citizen vs. Heckler in 1986, the Federal District Court concluded that the record presents "overwhelming evidence of the risks associated with the consumption of raw milk both certified and otherwise."

Currently, the United States bans any interstate commerce dealing with raw milk.  Some states have banned the sale of raw milk. We stand with the FDA, the courts and legislative bodies on this issue--the consumption of raw milk poses far too many dangers to not be regulated by state and federal food safety agencies.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (2)
• Share Link

There a rising concern in both the United States and the European Union (EU) about the risk of Listeria contamination. Listeriosis has recently caused the deaths of three elderly men and a miscarriage due to the Whittier Farms outbreak in the United States.  In Europe, the occurrence of listeriosis has increased 8.6%.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) released a report warning manufacturers and consumers of the dangers of Listeria and offered advice to protect against outbreaks like Whittier.  According to Dairy Reporter,

The EFSA panel recommended that to better assess the risk of the foods responsible for listeriosis it was necessary to investigate listeriosis cases more thoroughly and generate and analyze data on the consumption in the EU of ready-to-eat foods in which Listeria can be found.

Storage temperature at retail and in domestic refrigerators can also vary significantly, raising the risk of growth of the bacteria, said the report. The panel also advised that consumers should take care to keep food at recommended storage temperatures at all times, and take note of the shelf-life of food in their refrigerators.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

It has long been known that the pasteurization process effectively kills many pathogenic organisms, including the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, which should make pasteurized milk and other products safe for human consumption.  However, an outbreak of listeriosis in Massachusetts has lequestioned the safety of pasteurized milk.  Pasteurized milk products from Whittier Farms resulted in the deaths of three elderly men and sickened two pregnant women, resulting in one miscarriage. 

Pasteurization is by no means cutting edge technology, developed by Louis Pasteur and Claude Bernard in 1862. Listeria outbreaks are also anything but new to Massachusetts. A Listeria outbreak occurred in the state in 1983. The source of the 1983 outbreak was whole and 2% pasteurized milk.

In 1988, the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report released a story dealing with the effectiveness of pasteurization to control listeriosis. The CDC evaluated multiple studies testing varying amounts of Listeria contamination in milk and concluded that the process does indeed protect against listeriosis.  The report also quoted the World Health Organization (WHO) Working Group on foodborne listeriosis which stated that "pasteurization is a safe process which reduces the number of L. monocytogenes occurring in raw milk to levels that do not pose an appreciable risk to human health."

The United States and the WHO agree that pasteurization works. Even though the process has been proven to work through scientific experiments, Massachusetts seems to have a problem keeping Listeria out of pasteurized milk, most recently in products from Whittier Farms.

Whittier Farms has undergone intense investigation to get to the source of the contamination. According to an article from the Worcester Telegram:

The findings do not pinpoint where contamination of the milk occurred, according to state officials, but they do suggest that listeria bacteria colonized somewhere in the processing plant, and entered the milk products at some point after pasteurization and during the production process.

The findings show that the pasteurization process is not to blame. There were problems at Whittier with introducing Listeria to the milk after the process had killed the bacteria previously present in the milk. If Listeria is going to find its way into processed milk, why pasteurize it to begin with?

To quote Louis Pasteur, “Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal.  My strength lies solely in my tenacity.” Pasteur invented a process that effectively eliminates bacteria such as Listeria, but to reach the goal of fully preventing the contamination of milk in the nation’s dairies, the government and dairies themselves will require tenacity and determination to protect products after the pasteurization process.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Although the Listeria outbreak originating with Whittier Farms has questioned the safety of the nation’s dairy supply, new technology holds the promise of protecting fresh produce from the potentially lethal bacteria among other pathogens.  PureRay Lighting Technology from Global Warming Solutions replaces florescent lighting to dramatically increase the shelf life of produce, all while reducing energy costs.

According to PR-inside.com,

The PureRay Light system is a proprietary design comprised of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) assembled in arrays. Since the light itself is safe, PureRay could be deployed in production facilities, transportation and storage systems and display areas in stores.

PureRay either kills or suppresses pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes, as well as E. coli, blue mold and yeasts.  The technology reduces the spoiling rate of produce and stimulates its natural life processes which keep it fresh longer.  The light also protects deep inside the produce tissue, not just on the surface.

The company behind PureRay, Global Warming Solutions, maintains an emphasis on reducing the effects of global warming, and PureRay will save energy consumption in a variety of ways.

PureRay lighting systems could replace fluorescent tubes in refrigerated or non-refrigerated display cases and shelves. Besides prolonging the shelf life of fresh produce by up to 50%, PureRay offers 15% energy savings over traditional under-shelf lighting solutions. PureRay offers significant improvements in energy efficiency, life-time of the lighting fixture, customer safety, product illumination, scalability and design flexibility, helping grocers meet targets for reducing their carbon footprint.

PureRay could be the next step to increasing food safety of fresh produce.  Added measures to kill and suppress Listeria contamination can save lives, as the results of the Whittier outbreak has shown consumers.  There have been four deaths associated with the Whittier Farms Listeria outbreak--three elderly men and an unborn baby.  Read about Listeria miscarriage and Listeria wrongful death.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Massachusetts state health officials think they may have pieced together the evidence to explain how milk produced at Whittier Farms became contaminated with a lethal strain of Listeria.  The outbreak has already led to the death of three elderly men and a miscarriage.

Samples taken from the Whittier Farms plant showed that the strain of Listeria found in the five victims was identical to a strain found on the floor of the plant and in equipment used after pasteurization. The same strain was also found in seven unopened containers of milk that were on shelves at the retail store next to the plant. Different strains were also found in the plant, but had no relation to the reported illnesses.

According to the Boston Globe,

State investigators said they were unsure how listeria made its way inside the Whittier plant, which had received good marks in earlier inspection reports. Perhaps workers carried it on their clothing or shoes from elsewhere on the farm, said Suzanne Condon, the top environmental health official at the state Department of Public Health. Another possibility: Spray hoses used for cleaning might have disseminated the germ.

Although it is not known how the events of Listeria entering the plant and then contaminating pasteurized milk occurred, this new evidence gives officials the best idea of what exactly happened at Whittier Farms.  The diary is still under intense investigation until all the pieces of the puzzle are able to be put together.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

With the outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes in pasteurized milk products from Whittier Farms looming over the food safety world, a new study suggests safer and more effective ways of killing the bacteria during the pasteurization process.  A study conducted by L. Huang and J. Sites published in the Journal of Food Science showed the effective elimination of Listeria from hotdogs with a new infrared pasteurization process.

The study was directly aimed at ready-to-eat meats such as hotdogs in order to kill Listeria on the surface of the meats.  The process utilized an infrared emitter, a hotdog roller, an infrared sensor, and a temperature controller. The sensor monitored the surface temperature of the hotdogs while the emitter was the heating source.

According to the article:

The infrared surface pasteurization was evaluated using hotdogs that were surface-inoculated with a 4-strain L. monocytogenes cocktail to an average initial inoculum of 7.32 log (CFU/g). On the average 1.0, 2.1, 3.0, or 5.3 log-reduction in L. monocytogenes was observed after the surface temperature of hotdogs was increased to 70, 75, 80, or 85 °C, respectively. Holding the sample temperature led to additional bacterial inactivation. With a 3 min holding at 80 °C or 2 min at 85 °C, a total of 6.4 or 6.7 logs of L. monocytogenes were inactivated.

The infrared pasteurization was successful in killing the bacteria that contaminated the surface of the hotdogs. Since the Whittier outbreak has shaken consumer confidence in the pasteurization process, it is good to see that pasteurization procedures are being reevaluated to provide a safer food source.  (We are aware that the Listeria contamination at Whittier Farms most likely happened post pasteurization.  Even so, the outbreak suggests the need to review pasteurization procedures.)

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

The continuing investigation into the Listeria monocytogenes outbreak at Whittier Farms leads experts to believe that contamination may be due to cleaning procedures at the dairy. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) took more than 100 environmental and milk samples from the dairy, revealing definite connections between the strains found at the plant and five cases of listeriosis.

According to Medical News Today,

So far nine samples from the plant have tested positive for the same strain of Listeria that was found in four of the five people who fell ill with Listeriosis after consuming products from the plant. No sample was available to test the fifth case, a 31 year old woman who has since made a full recovery and been delivered of a healthy baby.

It is also important to note that three of the cases involved the death of elderly men and a fourth case led to a miscarriage.

No concrete evidence narrows the exact source of contamination, however three of the four positive Listeria tests taking from the dairy were found in sections of the processing plant that dealt with milk after the pasteurization process.

In a recent press release by MDPH it was stated that

The presence of Listeria in the physical plant of the facility is consistent with contamination occurring during post-pasteurizing processing and bottling. One theory under consideration by health officials is that cleaning activities at the plant may have unintentionally caused contamination of the processing equipment allowing bacteria to enter the finished milk products.

Most of the positive samples at the dairy were found in flavored milk products. Public health investigators believe that the sugar content in the flavored milks may have provided an environment conducive to the growth of Listeria.

Other than the five reported cases of listeriosis, no new cases have been reported. Any cases involving the contaminated milk can be used in a lawsuit against Whittier Farms. Food safety attorney Fred Pritzker has recovered millions for victims of foodborne illness outbreaks. He is also an advocate for food safety. To contact Fred, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s free case consultation form.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

The recent Listeria outbreak linked to Whittier Farms pasteurized milk is a reminder that no food is completely safe from foodborne pathogens. The outbreak has killed four people, 3 elderly men and an unborn baby. (Learn about Listeria miscarriage and Listeria wrongful death.)

Pasteurization is supposed to kill any foodborne pathogens present in the raw product. However, contamination can occur after the pasteurization process, which is undoubtedly what happened in this case. Listeria contamination occurs when a processing facility is not kept clean enough to kill any Listeria monocytogenes bacteria that may have found its way into the plant. Listeria can lurk in drains, registers, equipment and other areas.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health investigation into this outbreak used genetic fingerprinting tests to connect the deaths with Whittier Farms milk. The outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes (each outbreak has a unique strain) has been found in samples obtained from those sickened, milk found at a victims home, and milk found at the Whittier Farms processing plant. These results can be used as evidence in a Whittier Farms lawsuit.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) continues its investigation into the Listeria outbreak linked to contaminated Whittier Farms milk. According to the MDPH, additional samples of milk products and several environmental samples taken at the Whittier Farms milk processing plant have tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes.

The following is from a MDPH press release regarding this Listeria outbreak.

The processing plant, located in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts remains closed and will not re-open until cleared to do so by the MDPH Food Protection Program and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Regional Milk Specialists.

One environmental swab, one sample of skim milk and seven flavored milk samples tested positive for the same strain of Listeria found in four of the five cases linked to this outbreak. No sample was available to test in the fifth case linked to the outbreak — a 31 year-old pregnant woman from Middlesex County who drank Whittier milk products and was diagnosed with listeriosis, with a positive culture for the bacteria in September. The woman delivered a healthy child, and mother and child are well.

More than 100 environmental and milk samples were taken from the processing plant as part of the investigation. A total of twelve milk samples and four environmental samples tested positive for varying strains of Listeria contamination (see summary below).

The findings do not pinpoint where the contamination of the milk occurred, but they do suggest that Listeria bacteria colonized somewhere in the processing plant and that the bacteria entered the milk products at some point during the production process. Records indicate that the plant’s equipment met federal standards for time, temperature and flow for effective pasteurization, however, pasteurization at the processing plant will be further examined.

The presence of Listeria in the physical plant of the facility is consistent with contamination occurring during post-pasteurizing processing and bottling. One theory under consideration by health officials is that cleaning activities at the plant may have unintentionally caused contamination of the processing equipment allowing bacteria to enter the finished milk products. Three of the four positive environmental tests for Listeria were collected from sections of the plant that are considered part of the post-pasteurization areas of the facility.

Public health investigators are also closely scrutinizing the lab results from Whittier milk products to determine why most of the Listeria positive milk samples were found in flavored milk products. Health officials theorize that the sugar content of the flavored milk products provided an environment that enhanced bacterial growth.

The Listeria outbreak linked to milk products produced at Whittier Farms represents the first such foodborne outbreak connected to a Massachusetts food processing plant in more than 20 years. Five cases have been linked to the outbreak including three elderly men and two pregnant women. The three elderly men have died.  [Read about  Listeria miscarriage ,  Listeria wrongful death, and a Whittier Farms lawsuit.]

No new cases have been identified as part of the outbreak investigation.

Health officials stressed the risk to public health remains low because Whittier Farms halted milk processing operations immediately after being informed by the MDPH about the link to the current outbreak. They also emphasized that an outbreak of Listeria in pasteurized milk products is extremely rare; the source of the outbreak appears to be confined to the Whittier Farms milk processing plant; and they believe the general milk supply is safe.

The MDPH staff continue to work with Whittier Farms on the investigation and will work with the Farm’s management on a recovery plan for the Shrewsbury processing plant. Milk processing will not take place until efforts to eradicate the bacteria at the plant are complete, and testing has confirmed that milk products produced at the facility are safe.

Massachusetts public health officials also continue to work with other agencies, including U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources to complete the investigation and review whether changes are needed in current state regulations or in the federally mandated inspection and testing processes for dairy farms and plants.

Summary of Listeria Positive Laboratory Tests

Sample	Description	Listeria Strain
Coffee flavored milk	Glass, Quart	A*
Coffee flavored milk	Glass, Quart	A*
1% Chocolate flavored milk	Plastic, 8 oz.	A*
Chocolate flavored milk	Plastic, 8 oz.	A*
Chocolate flavored milk	Plastic, Pint	A*
Vanilla flavored milk	Glass, Quart	A*
Strawberry flavored milk	Plastic, 8 oz	A*
Skim milk	Glass, Quart	A*
1% Chocolate flavored milk	Glass, Quart	B**
Coffee flavored milk	Glass, Quart	B**
1% milk	Glass, Quart	B**
2% milk	Glass, Quart	C**
* Denotes Listeria strain consistent with outbreak strain ** Denotes Listeria strain not consistent with outbreak strain or known human cases

Environmental Samples	Description	Listeria Strain
Environmental Swab 1	Floor near homogenizer	A*
Environmental Swab 2	Drain in fill room	D**
Environmental Swab 3	Bottle washer washband	E**
Environmental Swab 4	Empty unwashed bottle	F**
* Denotes Listeria strain consistent with outbreak strain ** Denotes Listeria strain not consistent with outbreak strain or known human cases

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Researchers from The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), the University of Toronto, and Harvard Medical School have discovered new information about listeriosis in both its acute and chronic form. Dr. John Brummel and colleagues were recently featured in Nature magazine with evidence for the importance of a toxin in the Listeria monocytogenes bacteria, according to the CNW Group.

A toxin produced by Listeria monocytogenes, lysteriolysin O, causes acute infections of the bacteria. The scientist discovered that the toxin also plays a significant role in chronic infections of the bacteria, and that it is important in how the bacteria cause disease.

According to Brummel, “We found that the same toxin, which the bacteria are using to grow rapidly inside one part of the cell and cause a serious a life threatening infection, apparently also allows the bacteria to grow slowly inside another part of the cell and cause a chronic infection.” Brummel’s team will also conduct further research and hopefully proceed with human tests in the future.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Officials report the death of 88-year-old John J. Powers from drinking Listeria contaminated milk from Whittier Farms, according the Metro West Daily News. Born on December 25, 1919, Mr. Powers was an avid Boston Red Sox fan and World War II veteran, the story states.

Powers contracted listeriosis from pasteurized milk produced by Whittier Farms and purchased at Shady Oaks Farms in Medway, Massachusetts. Dr. Alfred DeMaria, director of communicable diseases of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, reports that coffee flavored milk in Powers’ refrigerator tested positive for Listeria.

Mr. Powers became ill right after Thanksgiving, while two other elderly men died from listeriosis in June and October. (Read about  Listeria / listeriosis wrongful death.) Two pregnant women were also sickened in this outbreak; one of them had a miscarriage. (Read about Listeria, listeriosis and miscarriage.) The deaths have halted production at Whittier Farms, including Whittier, Schultz, Balance Rock, Spring Brook, and Maple brand names of whole milk, 1 percent, 2 percent, skim milk and heavy cream, and the low-fat chocolate, coffee, strawberry, vanilla and eggnog flavors.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Officials from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health are hopeful that the Listeria outbreak linked to Whittier Farms milk is contained, but warn that the outbreak may not yet be over, according to the Worcester Telegram. A warning to consumers was issued on December 27 about the outbreak, and since then the death of three men and a woman’s miscarriage has been linked to the Listeria outbreak.

Listeria can incubate for up to 70 days, which will be March 6 or later in this outbreak. Whittier Farms has been ordered to shut down milk production and cannot resume until the plant is cleared by state officials. Whittier Farms provided milk for 31 wholesale accounts, which have since switched to different providers due to the outbreak.

Dr. Alfred DeMaria, director of Communicable Disease Control of the state’s Department of Public Health, insists on keeping a strict watch on the case for at least three more months. Health officials have also revealed that the listeriosis victims were a 75-year-old man who died in June, a 78-year-old man who died in October, and an 87-year-old man who died last Thursday. A pregnant woman’s miscarriage last year was also linked to the outbreak. Another pregnant woman, 31 years old, is also a possible fifth case involved. The woman and her baby are doing fine, according to state health officials.

More than 100 samples were taken from the dairy last week to pinpoint the source of the outbreak and the results are due later this week. Dr. DeMaria also stated that the deaths have been linked to 1% milk and coffee flavored milks produced by Whittier Farms, but other products may also be contaminated. The bacteria in all the cases are identical, which is evidence of an outbreak, according to DeMaria. 

Whittier Farms has kept it stores and farms open for the sale of non-dairy items throughout the outbreak. The dairy has had no previous issues concerning a Listeria outbreak. The state conducts regular inspections of the plant and has previously praised the dairy for its cleanliness and timely response to minor violations.

The outbreak centers on pasteurized milk, only the third such Listeria outbreak in the country’s history, according to Dr. DeMaria. The first outbreak occurred between June and August of 1983, resulting in the death of 14 people. Pasteurized whole and 2% milk was linked to be the source in the outbreak. The second outbreak occurred in 1994, resulting in no deaths, but four hospitalizations due to drinking Listeria contaminated pasteurized milk.

The Whittier Farms outbreak is only the third case in United States history to be linked to pasteurized milk. The Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization still maintain that pasteurization kills Listeria bacteria and is a safe process to adequately prevent foodborne illnesses due to Listeria contamination.

Pritzker Law, a leading food safety litigation law firm, has extensive experience with Listeria cases.  To contact the firm, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm's free case consultation form.  Read more about the Whittier Farms Listeria outbreak and a possible Whittier Farms lawsuit.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

A third man has died from a Listeria infection (listeriosis) that has been linked to Whittier Farms milk. According to a story in the Boston Globe:

An 87-year-old Norfolk County man has died from a bacterial infection [listeriosis] linked to tainted milk from a mom-and-pop dairy [Whittier Farms in Central Massachusetts], the third death related to the outbreak, state health authorities reported this afternoon.

Two other elderly men died earlier from listeriosis linked to Whittier Farms milk, and an unborn child died when the child’s mother contracted listeriosis. People seriously sickened by Listeria are usually the elderly, people with compromised immune systems, pregnant women and unborn infants. Contact one of our attorneys for information on Listeria cases we have handled involving pregnancy and wrongful death.

This listeriosis outbreak has now sickened at least 5 people, according to the Boston Globe:

State disease investigators also reported today that the total number of cases of listeriosis attributed to the milk has risen by one, to five. A 31-year-old Middlesex County woman was diagnosed with the disease in September while in the hospital to deliver a baby, said Dr. Alfred DeMaria, the state's director of communicable disease control. Investigators connected her to the milk after discovering that she had consumed 2 percent and whole milk made by Whittier.

The 31-year-old woman and her baby are both healthy, as is a 34-year-old woman whose illness was previously linked to the outbreak. That woman, though, suffered a miscarriage after exposure to the bacteria.

Pritzker Law, a leading food safety litigation law firm, has extensive experience with Listeria cases.  To contact the firm, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm's free case consultation form.  Read more about the Whittier Farms Listeria outbreak and a possible Whittier Farms lawsuit.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) has reported no new cases of listereosis from milk produced by Whittier Farms, according to WCVB TV in Boston. Four cases between June and November have been linked to Whittier Farms milk, but no new cases have been reported. Two elderly men died, one woman had a miscarriage (see information on Listeria and pregnancy) and another elderly man was sickened.

According to a Boston Globe report:

Genetic fingerprinting conducted at the state laboratory has indicated that a milk [coffee-flavored] sample collected at Whittier Farms dairy two weeks ago, a sample taken in November from a bottle in a victim's refrigerator, and blood drawn from the four patients all harbored exactly the same type of listeria, a striking discovery, state disease trackers said.

Whittier Farms has shut down production until the source of contamination is identified and fixed. MDPH released a health advisory on December 27 warning all customers to discard products from Whittier Farms immediately. 

Whittier Farms products are sold under the brand names of Whittier, Schultz, Balance Rock, Spring Brook, Model Dairy and Maple. Whittier Farms products include whole milk, 2 percent, 1 percent, skim and heavy cream with flavors of low fat chocolate, coffee, strawberry, vanilla and eggnog. As stated in the Boston Globe report, the outbreak-strain of Listeria was found in Whittier Farms coffee-flavored milk.

Our firm is monitoring this Massachusetts outbreak.  To contact a Listeria attorney at the firm, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm's free case consultation form.  Attorney Fred Pritzker has significant experience litigating Listeria cases.  He has a national reputation and has been interviewed by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and other publications.  Media may contact him at the toll-free number above.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Health officials have found a smoking gun at Whittier Farms, a dairy that has now been linked to 4 cases of listeriosis in Massachusetts, according to The Boston Globe:

Coffee-flavored milk taken from a cooler at a central Massachusetts dairy carried germs identical to bacteria that killed two elderly men and made two other people sick, according to state test results released yesterday that investigators said left little doubt about the dairy being the source of the infections.

Genetic fingerprinting conducted at the state laboratory has indicated that a milk sample collected at Whittier Farms dairy two weeks ago, a sample taken in November from a bottle in a victim's refrigerator, and blood drawn from the four patients all harbored exactly the same type of Listeria, a striking discovery, state disease trackers said.

"The pattern is very unique," said Dr. Alfred DeMaria, the state's director of communicable disease control. "It means there's an outbreak here. There's no question there's an outbreak. And it implies that the dairy is the common source.

State health investigators believe that the Listeria contamination happened after pasteurization, perhaps during the packaging process, the Boston Globe story states. This is typical of almost all cases of Listeria contamination of a food product where there is a kill step during processing. Unless the kill step (here pasteurization) is faulty, it should kill any foodborne pathogens, including Listeria. Contamination usually happens when an unsanitary condition (not washing hands, not cleaning equipment well, etc.) results in Listeria getting on or in the food.

Pritzker Law represents victims of Listeria outbreaks and the families of people who have died in Listeria outbreaks. If you would like a free consultation with a Listeria lawyer, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s free case consultation form. If you would like to comment on this outbreak, Listeria, listeriosis, Whittier Farms or any food safety topic, please submit the comment form below.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (1)
• Share Link

Beef patties served at Jersey City schools may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a potentially-fatal foodborne pathogen that primarily affects infants, pregnant women, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems. According to a story from nj.com, four Jersey City schools are involved: School 30 Annex, School 23's Duncan Avenue location, and School 23's West Side Avenue location, and School 38, all schools that use microwave ovens to heat lunches.

The beef patties were recalled by the Maramount Corp., a New York firm, on Christmas Day, six days after being delivered to the Jersey City schools. The possible Listeria contamination was discovered during a routine inspection by federal inspectors just before Christmas, according to a USDA-FSIS recall announcement. According to the nj.com story, health officials believe the possible Listeria contamination was probably the result of poor hygiene practices, such as the regular washing of hands.

Pritzker Law is a leading foodborne illness litigation law firm with extensive experience with Listeria cases.  If you would like a free consultation with a Listeria attorney, please contact the firm toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm's free case consultation form.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (2)
• Share Link

Determining Whether a Cluster of Listeriosis Cases is an Outbreak

In cases where a number of people in an area are diagnosed with listeriosis, health officials can use DNA fingerprinting to determine if the listeriosis cases are part of the same foodborne outbreak. For this purpose, health officials obtain isolates of Listeria monocytogenes bacteria from the people with listeriosis.

These isolates are tested pursuant to PulseNet system protocols using pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), a molecular subtyping technique. PFGE testing provides DNA fingerprints of the isolates. Matching (indistinguishable) DNA fingerprints indicate a listeriosis "outbreak" caused by a common source.

In the case of the listeriosis outbreak associated with Whittier Farms milk, Listeria isolates obtained from 4 people had matching DNA fingerprints. This establishes that these 4 victims of the outbreak were sickened by the same food source.  The four four victims include three elderly residents and a pregnant woman from Worcester county, according to a Massachusetts Department of Public Health press release. Two of the elderly people have died.

The Roll of DNA Fingerprinting in Determining the Source of a Listeriosis Outbreak

To find the source of an outbreak, genetic fingerprinting and epidemiological evidence are used. The people sickened by Listeria bacteria with matching DNA fingerprints are interviewed (and/or their families are interviewed) to determine what they ate in the last 2 months (the incubation period for Listeria can be as long as 70 days). Health investigators (epidemiologists) look for common food sources and investigate all likely sources. Part of that investigation is testing processing plants (drains, equipment, etc.) and food products for Listeria monocytogenes. If Listeria is found, isolates will have PFGE testing done on them to determine if they match the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes. If there is a match, health officials consider the food (food produced at the plant if the bacteria was found in the plant) the source of the outbreak.

If epidemiological evidence (patient interviews, receipts of purchase, etc.) associates a food product with an outbreak but Listeria is not found in the food product or the plant that produced it, that is generally adequate evidence to make a claim for damages against the manufacturer, distributor, and/or retail seller of the food.

In the case of the listeriosis outbreak associated with Whittier Farms milk, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health stated in a press release, “Samples collected showed product contamination.” 

Attorney Fred Pritzker has extensive experience with Listeria lawsuits.  To contact the firm, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s free case consultation form for review by a Listeria attorney.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES

Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes, referred to hereafter as Listeria) are foodborne bacteria with genus Listeria and species monocytogenes. Human illness caused by Listeria has been linked primarily with the consumption of unpasteurized milk, soft cheeses, ice cream, smoked fish and raw and ready-to-eat meat and poultry products. In the case of the Massachusetts Listeria outbreak associated with Whittier Farms, all of the people sickened and killed in the outbreak had consumed Whittier Farms pasteurized milk.

Listeria can be killed by cooking or pasteurizing food products; however, contact with Listeria bacteria after such a “kill step” will re-contaminate the product. This risk is heightened in food processing environments, where Listeria bacteria tend to thrive, particularly in floor drains and other cool, damp areas. According to health officials, they suspect the Whittier Farms pasteurized milk was contaminated after the pasteurization process.

In contrast to most other harmful bacteria, Listeria will grow slowly on foods stored in a refrigerator, and freezing has very little detrimental effect on the organism.

LISTERIOSIS

Listeriosis is the disease caused by ingesting Listeria bacteria. Listeriosis is clinically defined when the organism is isolated from blood, cerebrospinal fluid, or an otherwise normally sterile site (e.g. placenta and fetus). The elderly, immuno-compromised persons and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to listeriosis. Initial symptoms of listeriosis include nausea, vomiting, cramps, diarrhea, headache, constipation and persistent fever. 

The disease frequently triggers sespticemia, pneumonia, and meningitis. In pregnant women, listeriosis usually causes a mild, flu-like illness followed by miscarriage, stillbirth, or bacteremia and meningitis in newborns.

Although listeriosis is relatively rare, it is one of the most deadly foodborne diseases, accounting for roughly 28% of all deaths resulting from foodborne illness. In the Massachusetts outbreak linked to Whittier Farms, 2 of the 4 people sickened in the outbreak died. Both of them were elderly.

The time period between consuming Listeria-contaminated food and the onset of listeriosis can be as long as 70 days. This makes it extremely difficult to pinpoint the source of a listeriosis outbreak (also referred to as a Listeria outbreak).

Attorney Fred Pritzker has successfully represented people sickened by Listeria outbreaks and the families of people who died after contracting listeriosis.  For a free consultation regarding legal representation by a Listeria attorney, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm's free case consultation form.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) has issued a warning regarding milk products from Whittier Farms in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts due to possible Listeria contamination. Two elderly men have died and two other people have been sickened in a Listeria outbreak that has been associated with Whittier Farms milk, according to a MDPH statement.

According to The Milford Daily News, the cases occurred in June, October and November. Three of the people sickened were elderly residents and one was a pregnant woman from Worcester county.  DNA fingerprinting conducted by the Massachusetts State Laboratory Institute showed that the Listeria bacteria causing these infections came from a common source.  Samples collected from Whittier Farms showed product contamination, according to The Milford Daily News.  

MDPH is recommending that consumers do not consume Whittier Farms milk products. Because the incubation period for Listeria can be as long as 70 days, anyone who has consumed the milk should watch for Listeria symptoms, including fever, muscle aches and sometimes gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea or diarrhea.  In pregnant women, the symptoms may be mild, but an infection can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or early delivery. Learn more about Listeria and pregnancy.  Listeria-related deaths are often caused by Listeria meningitis (inflammation of the membranes and fluid surrounding the brain) or septicemia (blood infection). 

To contact a lawyer at our law firm for a free consultation, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm's free consultation form.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Do you know what your children are eating at school?  The Maramont Corporation, a New York firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 88 pounds of a beef patty product that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, according to a USDA-FSIS recall announcement.  The potentially-contaminated beef patties were produced on December 18 and distributed on December 19 to schools in the Jersey City, New Jersey, area.

If you live in the Jersey City area and want to know if your child ate any of the recalled beef patties, you will need to contact your school and ask if the cafeteria served any of the following:

• 2-oz packages of "BROILED BEEF PATTY (MICROWAVE)." The products were individually packaged and delivered from 17.25-pound cases. Each case label bears a lot code of "07352" and product number "2801." Each case label also bears the establishment number "EST. 5370" inside the USDA mark of inspection.

The problem was discovered through routine FSIS testing at the establishment. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of this product.

Because the incubation period for Listeria can be as long as 70 days, anyone who ate the recalled hamburgers will need to watch for symptoms of Listeria for 70 days after consumption. Pregnant women are most at risk for contracting Listeria infections, called listeriosis, which can cause miscarriages, stillbirths and early deliveries. Read about Listeria and pregnancy. 

If you or your child is diagnosed with listeriosis, please contact us. We are a nationally-recognized food safety law firm and represent victims of Listeria outbreaks throughout the United States. To contact us, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s free case consultation form.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

The following is from a North Carolina Division of Public Health press release.

Officials with the North Carolina Division of Public Health (NCDPH) are cautioning pregnant women against consumption of soft cheeses, hot dogs, deli-style meats and prepared salads.  The warning comes after three cases of listeriosis were identified in Moore, Durham and Mecklenburg counties and a probable case was identified in Buncombe County.

The three confirmed cases all involved pregnant women; two of them had miscarriages. All three of the women had consumed soft cheese from a variety of sources. Although the cases occurred close together in time, data from molecular testing conducted at the State Laboratory of Public Health showed that different strains were involved. A single product does not seem to be the source of these cases, prompting public health officials to issue a general Listeria warning.   

Listeriosis is a serious infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes.  The disease affects primarily pregnant women, newborns and people with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis outbreaks have been associated with consumption of unpasteurized (raw) milk and contaminated soft cheeses, vegetables and ready-to-eat meats.  

“This is a tragedy, which could have been avoided,” said State Epidemiologist Dr. Jeff Engel.  “Listeriosis can be prevented by avoiding unpasteurized milk and other potentially contaminated food, especially among vulnerable people.” Vulnerable people include pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. About a third of the people with confirmed cases of listeriosis are pregnant women. Read about Listeria and pregnancy.

According to NCDPH, general recommendations to avoid listeriosis include:

• Avoid unpasteurized (raw) milk or foods made from unpasteurized milk.
• Thoroughly cook raw food from animal sources.
• Wash raw vegetables before eating.
• Wash hands, knives and cutting board after handling uncooked foods.
• Consume perishable and ready-to-eat foods as soon as possible.

NCDPH also recommends that people at high risk, such as pregnant women and persons with weakened immune systems, take the following precautions in addition to those above:

• Do not eat hot dogs, luncheon meats or deli meats, unless they are reheated until steaming hot.
• 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.
• 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 pastuerized milk.
• Do not eat refrigerated pâtés or meat spreads. Canned or shelf-stable pâtés and meat spreads may be eaten.
• Do not eat refrigerated smoked seafood, unless it is contained in a cooked dish, such as a casserole. Refrigerated smoked seafood, such as salmon, trout, whitefish, cod, tuna or mackerel, is most often labeled as "nova-style," "lox," "kippered," "smoked" or "jerky." The fish is found in the refrigerator section or sold at deli counters of grocery stores and delicatessens. Canned or shelf-stable smoked seafood may be eaten.

Source: NCDPH Press release, http://www.dhhs.state.nc.us/pressrel/12-18-07b.htm.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Peregrina Cheese Corp. of New York has recalled certain “Queso Fresco, Fresh Cheese,” due to possible Listeria contamination, according to a New York Department of Agriculture press release. The recalled Queso Fresco is contained in a foil wrapped, 14-ounce-net-weight package with a code of 3973. The consumer warning affects all packages of Queso Fresco with this code.

According to the press release, a routine sample of the cheese, taken by an inspector from the Division of Milk Control and Dairy Services on November 27, 2007, was subsequently tested by the New York Agriculture Department’s Food Laboratory and discovered to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.  On December 6, 2007, the manufacturer was notified of the presence of Listeria monocytogenes and the company voluntarily recalled the product. 

To date, no illnesses are known by the New York Department of Agriculture to be associated with this product.

Pritzker Law, a leading food safety litigation law firm, has recently settled a multi-million dollar Listeria case.  To contact a Listeria lawyer at the firm, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm's online free case consultation form.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

UDSA-FSIS has announced a recall of about 98,000 pounds of frozen sausage roll products due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.  The frozen sausage roll products were produced by Double B Foods on various dates between Oct. 25 and Nov. 6, and were distributed to retail establishments in Texas, and institutions, catalogue sales and distribution centers in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Texas. The recalled sausage rolls were sold under a number of brands and may have been repackaged. The brands named in the FSIS announcement of the frozen sausage roll recall are Double B Foods, H-E-B, Smokey’s, Southern Heritage, and Wheeler. Read more about the Double B Foods sausage roll recall.

The frozen sausage roll recall announcement states that consumers should contact the company with questions. If you ate any of the recalled sausage rolls, do not return or discard any of the recalled products you have left in your freezer until you are sure no one has become ill. You will need to label the packages “Do not eat” and make sure the recalled products are not consumed. 70 days after the date of consumption (the incubation period for Listeria can be as long as 70 days), return or discard the products only if no one has been sickened. If someone who ate the recalled frozen sausage rolls is diagnosed with a Listeria infection (listeriosis), contact us at immediately and let one of our Listeria lawyers know you have recalled product in your freezer. Genetic testing on the product could lead to valuable microbiological evidence. DO NOT EAT ANY OF THE RECALLED FROZEN SAUSAGE ROLLS.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Article written by Fred Pritzker

We represent people injured by unsafe food products, usually containing foodborne pathogens such as E. coli O157:H7, Listeria, Salmonella, Shigella, or Hepatitis A.

As part of our service to the public, we’re asked to evaluate potential foodborne illness cases. Here is some information about how food safety lawyers prove foodborne illness cases.

In order to prove a case of foodborne illness, the injured person has to prove the following three elements: 1) the food product was defective, 2) the defect caused illness, and, 3) the person suffered damage as a result of that defect.

A food product is defective, according to the definition used in many states, “if an ordinary consumer would not reasonably expect the food product to contain the substance that caused the harm.”

Since food consumers do not expect the food they eat to contain injurious or lethal pathogens, satisfying the first element of foodborne illness proof is usually not difficult.

Some states, however, do not follow the “consumer expectation” test and require proof of food “adulteration.” That term is usually defined as follows:

• It contains an added poisonous or deleterious substance that may make the food injurious to health, or that is not necessary for food production.
• It contains enough of a poisonous or deleterious substance (added or not) to make the food normally injurious to health.
• It contains any added substance that is considered “unsafe” under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, or that is present at levels considered “unsafe” under the federal act. The federal Food and Drug Administration publishes a list of substances “generally recognized as safe” (the GRAS list), but a substance is not necessarily considered “unsafe” merely because it is not included on the GRAS list.
• It contains any diseased, contaminated, filthy, putrid or decomposed substance or is otherwise unfit for food.
• It has been produced, prepared, packed, or held under unsanitary conditions that may have caused it to become contaminated, diseased, unwholesome or injurious to health.
• It is the product of a diseased animal, or an animal that died other than by slaughter.
• Its packaging contains any poisonous or deleterious substance that may make the food injurious to health.
• The seller misrepresents the food contents, directly or by implication.

As a general rule, any food contaminated with a foodborne pathogen (e.g. E. coli O157:H7, Shigella, Listeria, Salmonella, etc.) is considered adulterated.

In foodborne illness litigation, the much more difficult element of proof is “causation”: Is the suspected food product the actual cause of the victim’s illness?

In order to prove causation, the first step is to identify the actual foodborne pathogen responsible for the victim’s symptoms. Put another way, identifying foodborne illness symptoms is not enough; in most cases, one has to prove the specific foodborne pathogen responsible for a client’s symptoms. The following example illustrates the point.

If you were injured in a car accident and wanted to sue the driver responsible for the crash, you would have to prove more than just that a car hit you. You would need to identify the make, model, color, year and serial number of the car as well as the vehicle’s owner. So it is with foodborne pathogens. You first have to nail down the specific foodborne pathogen responsible for your illness. This is done through testing, usually of the victim’s stool, blood or other bodily fluids. Thus, when you are sick enough to require medical treatment, insist that the doctor order appropriate tests to identify the particular foodborne pathogen responsible for your symptoms. This should ideally be done before antibiotics are prescribed. That’s because antibiotics may often kill off the pathogen before it can be identified.

Knowing the exact pathogen responsible for your symptoms also helps us to know when you likely consumed the food that caused your illness. Here’s how: all foodborne pathogens have incubation periods, the time from when you ate the food to the time when your symptoms first appear. By knowing when you ate the food we have a better idea of where it came from.

Foodborne pathogens have different incubation periods – from hours to weeks. For example, in the case of E. coli O157:H7 the incubation period is two to eight days (average of 3-4). Thus, if your testing confirms you have E. coli O157:H7, the food that caused it was probably eaten days, not hours, before your symptoms first appeared.  On the other hand, the incubation period for Hepatitis A is an average of one month.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

In one of the few criminal cases involving the sale of adulterated food, Timothy Delong, former president of Atlantis Foods, Inc., has plead guilty to charges of engaging in a scheme to defraud through the sale of “adulterated food” (in this case food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes), and a scheme to introduce misbranded food into interstate commerce in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. § 1341, and 21 U.S.C. §§ 331(a), 333(a)(2), and 343.

R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, David W. Bourne, Special Agent in Charge, Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, and Lee Huttenbach, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Southeast Region, Office of Inspector General, announce that Mr. Delong was sentenced yesterday to fifteen (15) months in prison. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $5,000 and to pay restitution in the amount of $200,000 to the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences to be used to support its programs in the area of food safety. The sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release.

The following are Counts 1 and 2 of the criminal charges against Mr. Delong:

1. Count 1 charged Delong with engaging in a scheme to defraud the customers of Atlantis Foods, Inc., where Delong served as president, through the sale of adulterated prepared foods. Delong, through Atlantis, sold chicken salad, Maine lobster dip, salmon cream cheese, salmon spread, chicken salad with almonds and cranberries, and crab stuffing which contained the harmful bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Delong was president of Atlantis Foods, which on six occasions in 2003, allegedly produced and distributed food products containing Listeria monocytogenes. Delong failed to notify his customers after learning of the contamination and did not initiate a recall of the products.
2. Count 2 charged Delong with the introduction into interstate commerce of misbranded food, namely "Smoked Rainbow Trout Spread," between January 2002 and December 2003. According to court records, the spread, which listed trout as the first ingredient, was false and misleading in that the product in fact did not contain trout, but instead was made with tuna.

A copy of the press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/ or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov/.

 

Pritzker Law, one of the leading food safety law firms in the United States, represents victims of foodborne outbreaks in personal injury lawsuits. To contact the firm, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900.

 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Ohio and Michigan E. coli Outbreak Associated with Kroger Ground Beef
June 25, 2008 - According to the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH), ground beef sold at Kroger grocery stores has been associated with an E. coli outbreak that has sickened people in Michigan and Ohio. Read about the legal implications of this association and a Kroger E. coli lawsuit..

House of Thaller Inc., the packager of Kroger brand smoked salmon dip, has recalled another 11,000 pounds of smoked salmon dip due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. This is an expansion of an October 29 recall of 529 pounds of Kroger smoked salmon dip.

A Georgia Agriculture Department inspector found Listeria bacteria in a 7.5-ounce package of Kroger Smoked Salmon Dip in a Kroger store in Loganville, Georgia, prompting the initial recall. House of Thaller has expanded the recall to three additional products:

• 7.5-ounce packages of Kroger Cajun Salmon Dip, marked "Use by 04NOV2007A LN3" and "Use By 04NOV2007B LN3."
• 7.5-ounce packages of Kroger Southern Crab Dip, marked "Use by 04NOV2007A LN3" and "Use By 04NOV2007B LN3."
• 7.5-ounce containers of Kroger Sun Dried Tomato Crab, marked "Use By 24OCT2007A LN3."

The recalled Kroger dip was sold at Kroger Stores, Dillon Stores and King Soopers in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Listeria is a highly-dangerous foodborne pathogen that generally contaminates food products that are ready-to-eat, meaning consumers are not likely to heat the product and kill the Listeria bacteria. No one should eat the recalled Kroger salmon dip, and pregnant women, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems should not eat any store-bought salmon dip or spread.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Ohio and Michigan E. coli Outbreak Associated with Kroger Ground Beef
June 25, 2008 - According to the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH), ground beef sold at Kroger grocery stores has been associated with an E. coli outbreak that has sickened people in Michigan and Ohio. Read about the legal implications of this association and a Kroger E. coli lawsuit..

House of Thaller, Inc. of Knoxville, Tennessee has recalled 529 pounds of Smoked Salmon Dip because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The product was distributed to AL, AR, GA, IL, KS, KY, MI, MO, MS, NC, NE, OH, SC, TN, TX, VA, and WV.  The product reached consumers packed under the Kroger brand and was sold in the Kroger Seafood Department.

The Smoked Salmon Dip was packed in a clear plastic 7.5 ounce rectangular container and is marked with Use By 04NOV2007A LN3 and 04NOV2007B LN3.  The company has also chosen to include the following products produced prior to and following the Smoked Salmon Dip (also in the clear plastic 7.5 ounce container):

• 287 pounds of Cajun Salmon Dip with "use by" dates of 04NOV2007A LN3 and 04NOV2007B LN3
• 945 pounds of Southern Crab Dip with "use by" dates of 04NOV2007A LN3 and 04NOV2007B LN3
• 516 pounds of Sundried Tomato Crab with "use by" date of 24OCT2007A LN3

The recall was the result of routine sampling and testing done by the Georgia Department of Agriculture which revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in a 7.5 ounce package of Smoked Salmon Dip.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem. The incubation period for Listeria can be as long as 70 days. If you have some recalled Kroger smoked salmon dip and someone has eaten some of it, you should not throw it away or return it until you are sure no one has contracted Listeria. Contaminated product is evidence in a Listeria lawsuit. Also, if someone is diagnosed with a Listeria infection (listeriosis), there is DNA fingerprinting technology available that can determine if the Listeria isolates in the contaminated product matches the Listeria that sickened the person. 

To contact a Listeria lawyer at Pritzker Law regarding Listeria, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s online consultation form.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

The FDA and Jensen's Old Fashioned Smokehouse Inc. of Seattle, Washington have announced the recall of 936 tubs of Jensen's Seattle Style Wild Smoked Salmon Spread Lemon Dill and Onion due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled Jensen's Seattle-style salmon spread was distributed in retail stores in Western Washington and is coded “Sell By 10/20/07.” The recalled salmon spread was sold in 7 oz. plastic tubs.

The recalled salmon spread was made by Carso's Pasta of Lynnwood, Washington. If someone is sickened by the recalled salmon spread, a Listeria lawyer can provide information regarding the liability (responsibility for injuries/death) of both Jensen’s Old Fashioned Smokehouse Inc. and Carso’s Pasta.   

Our firm, recently lead counsel in a major Listeria lawsuit, has represented pregnant women who lost their unborn babies due to Listeria infections, people who suffered severe brain damage and damage to other organs as the result of Listeria infections, and the families of people who died as the result of Listeria infections. To contact the firm, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s online consultation form.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Quong Hop has expanded its September 19, 2007 recall of certain tofu products due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes:

• Soy Deli 12oz Vacuum Pack Nigari White Tofu UPC 35302-00216 (dates through 1/28/2008)
• 30 oz Vacuum Pack White Tofu UPC 35302-00217(dates through 11/28/2007)
• Bulk tofu 10 and 25lb cases (dates through 11/28/2007)

The expanded recall is in responses to further testing of tofu samples that found Listeria monocytogenes in some samples of tofu.  All the tofu products subject to the expanded recall were made on the same packaging machine.

The incubation period for Listeria can be as long as 70 days.  If you have eaten any of the recalled Quong Hop tofu, you should watch for Listeria symptoms, including fever, stiffness, and upset stomach.  Pregnant women can lose their unborn babies via miscarriage or stillbirth.  For more information on Listeria, please see the following on the Pritzker Law website:

• Listeria Lawyer and Attorney
• Listeria Symptoms
• Listeria Meningitis
• Listeria Pregnancy

Our firm has recently settled a Listeria case involving the miscarriage of twins and the death of an elderly man.  To contact the firm about a Listeria lawsuit, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm's online consultation form.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

According to a product recall announcement, Quong Hop & Co. of South San Francisco, Calif., has recalled some tofu products because they might be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recall includes all packages of Soy Deli tofu coded Dec. 17, 2007. It also includes three products coded Sept. 23, 2007: the 30-ounce Soy Deli nigari tofu, the 12-ounce Soy Deli water pack tofu, and the 16-ounce Quong Hop water pack tofu.

There are many recalls due to Listeria monocytogenes each year; however, there are few Listeria outbreaks, primarily because the incubation period for Listeria can be up to 70 days.  The following is information on Listeria from the CDC:

In the United States, an estimated 2,500 persons become seriously ill with listeriosis [Listeria infection] each year. Of these, 500 die. At increased risk are:

• Pregnant women - They are about 20 times more likely than other healthy adults to get listeriosis. About one-third of listeriosis cases happen during pregnancy.
• Newborns - Newborns rather than the pregnant women themselves suffer the serious effects of infection in pregnancy.
• Persons with weakened immune systems.
Persons with cancer, diabetes, or kidney disease.
• Persons with AIDS - They are almost 300 times more likely to get listeriosis than people with normal immune systems.
• Persons who take glucocorticosteroid medications
• The elderly

Healthy adults and children occasionally get infected with Listeria, but they rarely become seriously ill.

Attorney Fred Pritzker is a leading Listeria litigation lawyer. To contact a Listeria attorney at our firm, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm's online consultation form.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has found laboratory-confirmed Listeria monocytogenes in Organic Pastures raw cream.  The CDFA found the bacteria as a result of product testing conducted as part of a routine inspection process.

The CDFA immediately took action:

• The CDFA issued an order to Organic Pastures Dairy Company to withdraw from retail distribution (grocery stores, retail outlets, and farmers markets throughout California) Grade A raw cream manufactured at their facility in Fresno, where the CDFA found the sample contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.  The Organic Pastures raw cream recall includes Organic Pastures brand Grade A raw cream with code dates SEP 14  through SEP 21. 
  
• The CDFA also issued a quarantine order to Organic Pastures Dairy Company.  Until further notice, Organic Pastures may not produce raw cream for the retail market.

Consumers should not drink the recalled raw cream.  Pregnant women, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems are at greatest risk for contracting listeriosis (Listeria infection) and becoming seriously ill.  For pregnant women, listeriosis can result in miscarriage, stillbirth, or the death of the newborn.

Pritzker Law is one of the few law firms in the United States that practices extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation.  The firm was recently lead counsel in a Listeria lawsuit involving a multi-state outbreak linked to deli meat.  To contact the firm, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm's online consultation form.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Georgia Department of Agriculture food scientists have found Listeria monocytogenes in a sample of Ricotta Salata cheese. The contamination was found in a package marked SELL BY 01/21/08. The brand name of the cheese is Locatelli and the importer is The Ambriola Company, Inc., of Jersey City, New Jersey 07305. The cheese is imported from Italy.

"We have notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of today’s lab findings, and we are warning the public about the contamination," said Commissioner Irvin. "We discovered this contamination as part of our sampling program. Sampling food products on a regular basis with a scientific protocol is a very important part of the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s efforts to ensure food safety."

The incubation period for Listeria can be as long as 70 days.  That means it can take up to 70 days after consumption of a food contaminated with Listeria for the infected person to have symptoms of a Listeria infection (listeriosis).  Symptoms of listeriosis can include high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

The FDA has announced the recall of Regal King seafood dips, including Premium Krab Dip, Cajun Krab Dip, Shrimp Dip, and Smoked Salmon Dip.  The recalled dips may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Pregnant woman have a higher risk of contracting a Listeria infection (listeriosis).  Although pregnant women may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, a Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths.

The recalled Regal King seafood dips were sold to A&P warehouses in 5-pound packages, repackaged, and sold to consumers at A & P stores in clear plastic containers with a Regal King label.  All flavors have a red and white repack label. 

The recall was the result of an independent systemic sampling program, which revealed that one finished product contained Listeria. The company has ceased the production and distribution of the product as FDA and Ocean King Enterprises continue their investigation as to what caused the problem.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Neparovana smoked sausage sold at Muncan Food Corp, 676 Seneca Avenue, Ridgewood, Queens  may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a potentially-fatal foodborne pathogen. The Neparovana smoked sausage was sold in bulk from the store’s deli display cooler. Muncan Food Corp has recalled the sausage.

If you ate any of the recalled Neparovana smoked sausage, you have a long wait--up to 70 days after consumption of the sausage-- to see if you contracted a Listeria infection (listeriosis).   Listeria infections are rare but serious.  Listeria infections can cause serious complications for pregnant women.  Although a pregnant woman's symptoms are usually mild, the infection can cause miscarriage or stillbirth.  Listeriosis is also dangerous for the elderly and people with compromised immune systems.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Recalled Cloud’s tuna salad sandwiches and egg salad sandwiches sold at convenience stores in East Texas, West Louisiana, and Southwest Arkansas may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a potentially-fatal foodborne pathogen. 

The recalled sandwiches, packaged in flexible plastic film and plastic wedges, are as follows:

• Cloud's Tuna Salad Sandwich on White Bread, 5 oz., date code 62607-72507
• Cloud's Egg Salad Sandwich on White Bread, 5 oz., date code 41907-72507

The product labels have "Cloud's Tuna Salad" or "Cloud's Egg Salad" on them.  

If you are one of the unlucky people who ate a recalled Cloud’s sandwich, you need to watch for symptoms of Listeria poisoning (listeriosis) for about 2 months. If you have the receipt from the store where you bought the sandwich, put it in a safe place.

Pregnant women are the most susceptible to contracting a Listeria infection. Although a pregnant woman who contracts a Listeria infection may only have mild, flu-like symptoms, she may have a miscarriage or stillbirth. If you are a pregnant woman who ate a recalled sandwich and now have flu-like symptoms, contact your doctor immediately.

The elderly and people with compromised immune systems are at greater risk for serious complications from a Listeria infection, including Listeria meningitis, which is an infection of the brain and/or spinal cord. Listeria meningitis can cause permanent brain damage.

The Listeria lawyers at Pritzker Law are available for a free consultation. Please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s online consultation form.   

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

State of Tennessee Cook Chill, a Nashville, Tennessee, firm, is recalling approximately 2,768 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken legs due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The following products are subject to recall:

• Cases of "BAKED CHICKEN LEG QUARTERS" Each case bears the case code "D257168C" and the establishment number "P-19120" inside the USDA seal of inspection.
• Cases of "OVEN FRIED BREADED CHICKEN LEG QUARTERS, smoke flavor added." Each case bears the case code "D257154C" and the establishment number "P-19120" inside the USDA seal of inspection.

The chicken products were produced on April 25, 2007 and were distributed to Tennessee prisons and mental health institutions. There was no retail distribution of the recalled ready-to-eat chicken legs.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Georgia Department of Agriculture food scientists have found Listeria monocytogenes in a sample of Bright Water Smoked Salmon & Cheese Spread. The contamination was found in a seven-ounce package marked BEST BY 071007.  The UPC code is 1971100073. The spread is manufactured by Bright Water Seafoods, LLC, of Charlotte, N.C.  28217. 

 “We have notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of today’s lab findings, and we are warning the public about the contamination,” said Commissioner Irvin.  “We discovered this contamination as part of our sampling program.  Sampling on a regular basis with a scientific protocol is a very important part of our food safety program.”

If you have some of the recalled smoked salmon and cheese spread and someone has eaten some of it, it may take 70 days for symptoms of a Listeria infection (listeriosis) to appear.  Have the person watch for Listeria symptoms (including stillbirth or miscarriage) and, if the person is diagnosed with listeriosis, contact Pritzker law regarding linking the case of listeriosis to the smoked salmon spread.  If you can safely store the leftover salmon spread without risk of someone eating it, you should do so.  Write "Do not eat - 1-888-377-8900" (our phone number) on the container in which you store the salmon spread.  If no one has eaten any of the salmon spread, health officials recommend throwing it out.


There have been a number of recent recalls due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.  It is a rare, highly dangerous foodborne pathogen that kills about 25% of the people who contract an infection from the bacteria.  Pregnant women and their unborn babies, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems are at highest risk for developing serious Listeria infections (called listeriosis).  The people in these groups should avoid ready-to-eat meat and several other foods.  Read a list of the foods to avoid.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Minnesotans should check their refrigerators for Calco sprouts (radish, alfalfa and bean sprouts). The Minnesota Department of Agriculture says the sprouts may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a potentially fatal foodborne pathogen. The sprouts were distributed to stores and restaurants throughout Minnesota. MDA officials detected Listeria bacteria in a store sample of the Calco sprouts. The name of the store where the sample was taken from has not been released.

The incubation period for listeriosis can be as long as 70 days. That means someone who ate contaminated sprouts today may not show any symptoms of listeriosis until July. If  you have eaten any Calco sprouts, you should watch for Listeria symptoms, including fever, muscle aches, diarrhea, headache, loss of balance and confusion. If you are pregnant and ate the recalled sprouts, your unborn baby is at risk. Read about Listeria and pregnancy.

Attorney Fred Pritzker has recovered millions for victims of Listeria poisoning (listeriosis) and other foodborne illnesses, including a recent settlement for $6,425,000.  To contact Attorney Pritzker for a free consultation, call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or fill out the firm's online-consultation form.  Learn about Listeria lawyer Fred Pritzker.  Learn more about the Minnesota personal injury lawyers at Pritzker law and the firm's concentration in foodborne illness litigation.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Diestel Turkey Ranch, a Chinese Camp, California, firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 6,907 pounds of ready-to-eat turkey products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.  (See description of recalled Diestel turkey products below.)  If you have any recalled Diestel turkey and someone has already eaten it, that person may be at risk for contracting a Listeria infection (listeriosis).  The following is not legal advice but suggestions you may choose to follow:

1. DO NOT RETURN THE RECALLED DIESTEL TURKEY
2. Seal the turkey in a plastic bag
3. Write "Do not eat" on the bag
4. Keep the bag of leftover turkey in the refrigerator
5. Watch for symptoms of a Listeria infection (listeriosis)—fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea
6. If you or a family member develops symptoms of listeriosis, see a doctor and have the doctor test a stool sample for Listeria
7. Let the doctor know that you need to save a stool sample for further testing if the initial test is positive for Listeria
8. If you test positive for Listeria, contact the Listeria lawyers at Pritzker law regarding further testing of the stool sample, Listeria culture (from the initial test) and any leftovers—call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 (write this phone number on a piece of paper and tape it to your refrigerator)
9. If no one has developed symptoms of a Listeria infection after 70 days, you can throw the turkey away

The following products are subject to the Diestel turkey recall:

• 6-7 -pound approximate weight plastic-wrapped packages of "HERBED OVEN ROASTED TURKEY BREAST." The label bears a "Sell-by" date of "5-28-07."
• 6-7 -pound approximate weight plastic-wrapped packages of "CHIPOTLE PEPPERED TURKEY BREAST." The label bears a "Sell-by" date of "5-28-07."
• 6-7 -pound approximate weight plastic-wrapped packages of "Naturally Smoked Boneless TURKEY BREAST." The label also a "Sell-by" date of "5-28-07."
• 6-7 -pound approximate weight plastic-wrapped packages of "PEPPERED OVEN ROASTED TURKEY BREAST." The label bears a "Sell-by" date of "5-28-07."
• 6-7 -pound approximate weight plastic-wrapped packages of "Naturally Smoked, UNCURED, TURKEY BREAST WITH PASTRAMI SEASONINGS." The label bears a "Sell-by" date of "5-28-07."
• 1-pound approximate weight plastic-wrapped packages of "Uncured Turkey Breast with Pastrami Seasoning." The label bears a "Sell-by" date of "5-23-07."

Each label bears the establishment number "P-9332A" inside the USDA mark of inspection.

The turkey products were produced on April 20, 2007 and were distributed to retail establishments in Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon, Texas and Washington.

Attorney Fred Pritzker is nationally recognized as a leading Listeria lawyer.  He has recently settled a case for $6,425,000.  Fred Pritzker can be reached toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or by e-mail at fhp@pritzkerlaw.com.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

According to a story on the TheIndyChannel.com, The Marion County Health Department (Indiana) has reported one person becoming ill after eating cheese that was sold door-to-door:

The health department said it became aware Tuesday that someone sold unpasteurized soft white cheese in the area of 38th Street and Georgetown Road, as well as near 38th Street and Moeller Road. Officials are worried that others might buy the product.  The cheese was contaminated with a bacteria called listeria.

Listeria is the most deadly foodborne pathogen.  Pregnant women are the most susceptible to contracting a Listeria infection. Although the pregnant women rarely get seriously ill from Listeria infections, their Listeria infections often cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and newborn fatalities.

Anyone who ate cheese sold door-to-door in Indiana should watch for Listeria symptoms, which can include high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea.  If you suspect you have a Listeria infection, see your doctor immediately.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

The CDC released a report Thursday on data collected on foodborne illness levels in the United States collected by the agency's Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet).  Campylobacter, Listeria, Shigella and Yersinia (plague) levels have all declined since baseline data was collected from 1996-1998.

FoodNet data showed there has been little change in the number of Salmonella cases while the progress made in 2003 and 2004 reduction of E. coli O157 has been lost.   Vibrio infections, which are  usually related to the consumption of raw shellfish, have increased to the highest level since FoodNet began surveillance.

Dr. Julie Gerberding, the CDC director, had this to say about the results of the study:

As recent outbreaks have shown, too many people in the United States are getting sick each year from foodborne illnesses.  For instance, the outbreaks involving tomatoes, lettuce and spinach underscore the need to more effectively prevent contamination of produce.  We're also working to strengthen our ability to quickly detect and identify foodborne illnesses.  We know the faster we can detect an outbreak, the faster we can take actions that will help protect people.

Officials are unsure why incidences of E. coli O157 have increased, but believe it may be associated with the rise in number of infections cause by foods such as spinach and peanut butter which previously were not associated to infections. 

Fred Pritzker is a nationally leading food poisoning attorney from Minnesota that has recovered millions of dollars for victims of food poisoning, including a recent settlement for $6,425,000.  To contact attorney Fred Pritzker, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm's

online consultation form

.

 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Beech Hill Farms located in Greenwich, New York, has issued a warning concerning raw milk that tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes on March 26th.   Twelve people, mainly neighbors and friends of the farm, are believed to have purchased milk that may have been contaminated.

A spokeswomen of the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets estimated that there are about 12 to 20 farms in New York that are allowed to sell raw milk.  All farms are inspected monthly and need a permit. 

If you develop symptoms of Listeria infection such as fever, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea and believe you have been exposed to the contaminated milk, you should contact your doctor.  If you are diagnosed with a Listeria infection (listeriosis), you should contact attorney Fred Pritzker immediately by calling toll-free at 1-888-377-8900.  If you retain us, we will help you get the tests you need to link your listeriosis to Beech Hill Farms milk.  You should save a small amount of milk in the refrigerator for testing in the event you become ill.  Write "Do not drink" and our toll-free number on the container.

Listeria infections usually last between 5 to 10 days and have mild symptoms.  However, pregnant women are more likely to develop more severe problems such as miscarriage and need to take special precautions such as washing their hands more frequently and cooking foods thoroughly.  Also, those with compromised immune systems, such as people with AIDS, cancer or diabetes are more likely to get severe infections that may require hospitalization.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Exito Supermarket in the Bronx suspended deli operations after a New York health officials found some ready-to-eat-deli foods in the deli to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a potentially-fatal foodborne pathogen. Young children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems are at greatest risk of becoming seriously ill or dying as a result of a Listeria infection (listeriosis).

Pregnant women are the most susceptible to contracting a Listeria infection. Although the pregnant women rarely get seriously ill from Listeria infections, their Listeria infections often cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and newborn fatalities. 

Anyone who has eaten at the Exito Supermarket deli should watch for symptoms of Listeria poisoning. If you ate deli food from Exito Supermarket and have leftovers. Do not eat them. Instead, do the following:

1. Put them in a plastic bag, label the bag “Do not eat,” and keep it in the refrigerator for 70 days (the possible incubation period). 
2. Write this number on the bag: 1-888-3770-8900.
3. If you are diagnosed with a Listeria infection (listeriosis), call that number toll-free for a free consultation with a Listeria lawyer at Pritzker law. We will help you get the leftovers tested and protect your legal rights.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Potato salad sold in Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.  If you are pregnant, elderly or have a compromised immune system, you have a higher risk of developing serious, life-threatening complications, including Listeria meningitis.  The potato salad (recalled by the manufacturer) was sold under the Coborn’s, Cash Wise, and Midwest Pride brands.  It was also sold in store deli packages.

If anyone has eaten the recalled potato salad (see description below), follow these instructions:

1. DO NOT RETURN THE POTATO SALAD
2. Seal the potato salad in a plastic bag
3. Write "Do not eat" on the bag
4. Keep the bag of leftover potato salad in the refrigerator
5. Watch for symptoms of a Listeria infection (listeriosis)—fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea
6. If you or a family member develops symptoms of listeriosis, see a doctor and have the doctor test a stool sample for Listeria
7. Let the doctor know that you need to save a stool sample for further testing if the initial test is positive for Listeria
8. If you test positive for Listeria, contact the Listeria lawyers at Pritzker law regarding further testing of the stool sample and any leftovers—call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 (write this phone number on a piece of paper and tape it to your refrigerator)
9. If no one has developed symptoms of a Listeria infection after 73 days, you can throw the potato salad away

The recalled potato salad was sold in two forms (see list of stores where the recalled potato salad was sold):

1. Prepackaged 1 lb product containers carrying the lot number 7057018A sold under three labels, “Midwest Pride,” “Coborn’s,” and “Cash Wise.” The “Midwest Pride” product has an expiration date of April 2, 2007 and the “Coborn’s” and “Cash Wise” product has an expiration date of March 9, 2007.
2. Deli-packed product sold under the lot codes of 7057018A and 7057026B from February 27, 2007 to March 16, 2007, in 89 stores in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan and Nebraska.  If you ate deli potato salad in any of these states,  you can contact the store where you bought it to see if it was the recalled potato salad.  Even if the store says the potato salad was not the recalled potato salad, you should preserve any leftovers as instructed above and watch for symptoms of a Listeria infection (listeriosis).

Attorney Fred Pritzker is nationally recognized as a leading Listeria lawyer.  He has recently settled a case for $6,425,000.  Fred Pritzker can be reached toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or by e-mail at fhp@pritzkerlaw.com.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

 

Public health officials in Canada are warning pregnant women to avoid consumption of raw milk and unpasteurized dairy products as this may result in listeriosis (Listeria infection) in the newborn. The Grey Bruce Health Unit received a laboratory confirmed report this week of an infant who has contracted the disease. The most likely source of infection is the mother’s consumption of raw milk cheese.

Listeriosis is a reportable infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogen. Pregnant women are at a 17 times higher risk than the general population to contract the disease which can then be transferred to the newborn. When this happens, the newborn usually becomes seriously ill, many die.  Listeriosis can also cause stillbirth and miscarriage.  Meningitis, septicemia and focal metastatic disease are associated with listeriosis.  Read about Listeria and pregnancy on the Pritzker Law websitewww.PritzkerLaw.com. 

Fred Pritzker, one of the leading foodborne illness litigators in the United States, has recently settled a case involving a woman who miscarried twins.   To contact our firm, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or e-mail Fred Priztker.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Since a recent E. coli outbreak linked to raw milk, the raw-milk debate has heated up.  Food safety experts, now solidly backed by the FDA and CDC, argue that raw milk should not be consumed because there is a high risk of contamination with a number of foodborne pathogens.  The FDA and CDC issued the following health alert yesterday outlining their position on raw milk:

FDA and CDC Remind Consumers of the Dangers of Drinking Raw Milk
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are reminding consumers of the dangers of drinking milk that has not been pasteurized, known as raw milk.  Raw milk potentially contains a wide variety of harmful bacteria – including Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, Listeria, Campylobacter and Brucella – that may cause illness and possibly death.

Consuming raw milk may be harmful to health.  From 1998 to May 2005 CDC identified 45 outbreaks of foodborne illness that implicated unpasteurized milk, or cheese made from unpasteurized milk.  These outbreaks accounted for 1,007 illnesses, 104 hospitalizations, and two deaths. This is based on information in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report for the week of March 2, 2007.  The actual number of illnesses was almost certainly higher because not all cases of illness are recognized and reported.

Consumers who become ill after consuming raw milk, and pregnant women who believe they consumed contaminated raw milk or cheese made from raw milk, should see a doctor or other health care provider immediately.

Symptoms of illness caused by raw milk vary depending on which harmful bacteria are present. Symptoms may include but are not limited to: vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, headache and body ache. 

Most healthy people will recover from illness caused by harmful bacteria in raw milk or in foods made with raw milk within a short period of time.  But some individuals can develop symptoms that are chronic, severe, or even life-threatening.  Illnesses caused by pathogens found in raw milk can be especially severe for pregnant women, the elderly, infants, young children and people with weakened immune systems.

Since 1987, in order to better protect consumers from such risks, FDA has required all milk packaged for human consumption be pasteurized before being delivered for introduction into interstate commerce.  Pasteurization, a process that heats milk to a specific temperature for a set period of time, kills bacteria responsible for diseases such as listeriosis, salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, diphtheria and brucellosis.  FDA's pasteurization requirement also applies to other milk products, with the exception of a few aged cheeses. 

Proponents of drinking raw milk often claim that raw milk is more nutritious than pasteurized milk and that raw milk is inherently antimicrobial, thus making pasteurization unnecessary.  Research has shown that these claims are myths. There is no meaningful nutritional difference between pasteurized and raw milk, and raw milk does not contain compounds that will kill harmful bacteria. 

In fact, raw milk, no matter how carefully produced, may be unsafe. The CDC, the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, the Association of Food and Drug Officials and other organizations have endorsed the pasteurization of milk and restriction of the sale of products containing raw milk.  Because even pasteurized milk contains low levels of nonpathogenic bacteria that can cause food to spoil, it is important to keep pasteurized milk refrigerated.

Raw Milk Q&A [FDA]
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/rawm-toc.html

Food Facts: The Dangers of Raw Milk [FDA]
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/rawmilk.html

MMWR: Escherichia coli O157:H7 Infection Associated with Drinking Unpasteurized Milk [CDC]
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5608a3.htm

21 CFR, Sec. 1240.61 Mandatory pasteurization for all milk and milk products in final package form intended for direct human consumption [U.S. Government Printing Office]   http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/10apr20061500/edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2006/aprqtr/21cfr1240.61.htm

Raw Milk Position Statements

FDA Raw Milk Position Statement [FDA]
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~ear/mi-03-4.html 

AMA Position on Milk and Human Health [American Medical Association]
http://www.ama-assn.org/apps/pf_new/pf_online?f_n=browse&doc=policyfiles/HnE/H-150.980.HTM&&s_t=&st_p=&nth=1&prev_pol=policyfiles/HnE/H-145.999.HTM&nxt_pol=policyfiles/HnE/H-150.946.HTM&

AAP Position on Unpasteurized Milk and Cheese [American Academy of Pediatrics] http://aapredbook.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/2006/1/A.VII

Additional Raw Milk Information

On the Safety of Raw Milk [FDA]
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~ear/milksafe.html 

FDA Testimony on Raw Milk [Ohio Department of Agriculture]
 http://www.ohioagriculture.gov/dairy/documents/FDATestimonyRawMilk.pdf

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Several days ago Kraft Foods announced that the company was expanding their recall of Oscar Mayer and Louis Rich chicken to include over 2 million pounds of chicken strips and cuts.  The recalled Oscar Mayer and Louis Rich chicken strips and cuts may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and should not be eaten.  Pregnant women, the very young, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems are at greatest risk of becoming ill from this potentially-fatal foodborne pathogen.  Attorney Fred Pritzker, a leading food poisoning litigation lawyer, has information about Listeria symptoms, Listeria treatment, pregnancy and Listeria, and Listeria meningitis, on the firm website.

The following is the USDA-FSIS announcement of the expanded recall of Oscar Mayer and Louis Rich chicken strips and cuts:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28, 2007 - Carolina Culinary Foods, a West Columbia, S.C., firm, is voluntarily expanding its Feb.18 recall of fully cooked Oscar Mayer/Louis Rich chicken breast cuts and strips that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.

The front of each package subject to this recall bears the establishment number "P-19676" inside the USDA mark of inspection. On the back of each package appears a "Use by" date. Products subject to recall bear a "Use by" date earlier than "28 MAY 2007." The expanded recall totals approximately 2.8 million pounds.

Only the following Oscar Mayer/Louis Rich chicken breast cuts and strips are subject to recall. The list is inclusive of products included in both the original and expanded recall actions.

• 6-ounce packages of "Oscar Mayer/Louis Rich Chicken Breast Strips with Rib Meat, Southwestern Seasoned."
• 6-ounce packages of "Oscar Mayer/Louis Rich Chicken Breast Strips with Rib Meat Grilled."
• 6-ounce packages of "Oscar Mayer/Louis Rich Chicken Restaurant Style Breaded Chicken Breast Strips."
• 6-ounce packages of "Oscar Mayer/Louis Rich Chicken Breast Strips with Rib Meat Italian Style."
• 6-ounce packages of "Oscar Mayer/Louis Rich Oven Roasted Chicken Breast Cuts with Rib Meat."
• 6-ounce packages of "Oscar Mayer/Louis Rich Chicken, Honey Roasted Chicken Breast Cuts with Rib Meat."
• 12-ounce packages of "Oscar Mayer/Louis Rich Chicken Breast Strips with Rib Meat Grilled."
• 12-ounce packages of "Oscar Mayer/Louis Rich Chicken Breast Strips with Rib Meat Southwestern Seasoned."

The expanded recall is based on additional sampling initiated by Kraft Foods and conducted at a non-government laboratory. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products. The chicken breast cuts and strips were distributed to retail establishments nationwide.

Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal disease. Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis. However, listeriosis can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. Listeriosis can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths, as well as serious and sometimes fatal infections in those with weakened immune systems, such as infants, the elderly and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy.

 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

First Quality Sausage has recalled about 930 pounds of semi-boneless ham steaks that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.  The description of the product is as follows:

• 20-pound boxes of "FIRST QUALITY SAUSAGE, INC., SEMI BNLS, HAM STEAK, WATER ADDED." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 18789" inside the USDA mark of inspection.

The ham steaks were produced on Feb. 14, 2007, and were distributed to institutions in Carson City, Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada.  The problem was discovered through routine USDA-FSIS microbiological testing.

Although there are many food recalls due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, there are few Listeria outbreaks and only about 1000 CDC-confirmed cases of listeriosis (Listeria poisoning) each year in the United States.  However, Listeria kills 25% of its victims, the highest fatality rate of the foodborne pathogens. Unborn babies and newborns are particularly susceptible to the deadly effects of the pathogen.  Learn more about Listeria and pregnancy on the Pritzker law website and then pass the information on to the pregnant women you know.  There is information regarding foods to avoid when pregnant and symptoms of listeriosis.  

Attorney Fred Pritzker has extensive experience with Listeria lawsuits and has recovered millions for victims of Listeria poisoning.  To contact a Listeria lawyer at Prtizker law, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s online consultation form.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Garden Leaf Foods, a Gardena, Calif., firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 1,591 pounds of Trader Joe's pasta salad with chicken that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The following Trader Joe's salad is subject to recall:

• 12-ounce plastic containers of "TRADER JOE'S, Serves 2, Spicy THAI STYLE PASTA SALAD, with chicken breast." Each label bears the establishment number "P-21252" inside the USDA mark of inspection. Each package bears a "Sell-by" date of "1-25-07."

The recalled Trader Joe's salad was produced on Jan. 19, 2007 and distributed to retail establishments in Arizona, California, Nevada and New Mexico.

The incubation period for Listeria can be anywhere from 11-70 days.  If  you have eaten the recalled Trader Joe's pasta with chicken, you should watch for Listeria symptoms, including fever, muscle aches, diarrhea, headache, loss of balance and confusion. If you are pregnant and ate the recalled hog head cheese, your unborn baby is at risk. Read about Listeria and pregnancy.

 

Pritzker | Ruohonen & Associates, P.A. has recovered millions for victims of Listeria poisoning (listeriosis) and other foodborne illnesses, including a recent settlement for $6,425,000.  To contact a Listeria attorney at Pritzker | Ruohonen for a free consultation, call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or fill out the firm's online-consultation form.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

For a second time this week, the USDA-FSIS announced a recall of a meat product for possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.  According to the USDA-FSIS, Gold Star Sausage Co., Inc, a Denver, Colo., firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 15,514 pounds of Maverick Ranch franks (hot dogs).

The following products are subject to recall: 

• One-pound packages of "MAVERICK RANCH BEEF FRANKS (HOT DOGS), 6 SKINLESS FRANKS." Each package bears a "sell by" date of "2/14/07," "2/21/07" or "2/28/07."
• One-pound packages of "MAVERICK RANCH BUFFALO FRANKS (HOT DOGS), 6 SKINLESS FRANKS." Each package bears a "sell by" date of "12/27/06," "1/3/07," "1/10/07," "2/14/07," "2/21/07" or "2/28/07."
• Five-pound packages of "BEEF FRANKS (HOT DOGS), PRODUCT CODE MF55-0606-15."
  

These products were packaged on "12/09/06." Each package bears the establishment number "EST. 1106" inside the USDA mark of inspection.

 

The Maverick Ranch franks (hot dogs) were distributed to retail and institutional establishments in Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Utah.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Pap’s Louisiana Cuisine, a Prairieville, La, firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 290 pounds of hog head cheese products that may be  contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The following products are subject to recall:

5-pound packages of "VERON, HOG HEAD CHEESE." Each package bears the establishment number "EST. 13581" inside the USDA mark of inspection, as well as the Use-by/Sell-by date "022807."

The hog head cheese products were produced on December 27, 2006, and were distributed to retail establishments in Southeast Louisiana.

The incubation period for Listeria can be anywhere from 11-70 days.  If  you have eaten the recalled Pap’s Louisiana Cuisine hog head cheese, you should watch for Listeria symptoms, including fever, muscle aches, diarrhea, headache, loss of balance and confusion. If you are pregnant and ate the recalled hog head cheese, your unborn baby is at risk. Read about Listeria and pregnancy.

Pritzker | Ruohonen & Associates, P.A. has recovered millions for victims of Listeria poisoning (listeriosis) and other foodborne illnesses, including a recent settlement for $6,425,000.  To contact Pritzker | Ruohonen for a free consultation, call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or fill out the firm's online-consultation form.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Some argue that raw milk is healthy; others, that it is dangerous because it can be contaminated with foodborne, bacterial pathogens, including Campylobacter, E. coli, Listeria and Salmonella.

In the last 12 months, raw milk has been linked to at least 2 E. coli outbreaks, including one a few months ago that sickened 4 children in California and one a year ago that left 5 children hospitalized, 3 with kidney failure.  Now, the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets has warned consumers in the Allegany County area not to consume raw milk from the Gerald E. Snyder Farm due to possible contamination with Listeria.

As more outbreaks and recalls involve raw milk (and they will), state legislators will have to decide whether the claimed benefits of raw milk outweigh the risks of serious foodborne illness.  State legislators and consumers alike need to understand that when raw milk tests positive for a foodborne pathogen (Campylobacter, E. coli, Listeria or Salmonella) it most likely means that cow manure has gotten into the milk, a relatively easy thing to happen given where milk comes from.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

While investigating a recent case of listeriosis (Listeria infection), Rhode Island health officials tested several food products from Compare Foods in Providence, Rhode Island.  Several of the tests were positive for Listeria monocytogenes, a potentially-deadly foodborne bacteria.  The Rhode Island Health Department has issued an alert regarding food purchased at Compare Foods:

 

Consumers are advised to discard all food items prepared at Compare Foods, 863 Broad St., Providence, RI that have been purchased any time in the past. This includes prepared foods such as sandwiches, deli sliced meats and cheeses, and prepared salads such as: tuna, macaroni, seafood, turkey, ham and cheese, potato, and Cole slaw. These foods should be discarded because there is the potential that they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes . Multiple samples collected from this market during an investigation of an illness due to this organism were positive for this bacterium.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Jamba Juice of San Francisco, California, has notified the public that smoothies containing strawberries which were sold at its Jamba Juice stores in Arizona, Southern Nevada and Southern California between November 25 - December 1, 2006, may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections (Listeria meningitis) in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.  In the past, we have represented families of victims who died and victims who were severely injured, including one man who lost some body functions and was permanently mentally impared.  (These were victims of past Listeria outbreaks.)

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has been informed of 7 cases of self-reported illnesses that may be related to HoneyBaked ham and turkey recalled on November 24, 2006, due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. (For extensive Listeria information, please see our website.)  The consumers involved in these reports are located in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada and Texas. The recalled HoneyBaked ham and turkey was sold nationwide through internet and telephone catalogue sales, as well as at retail establishments and kiosks in Toledo, Ohio. The ham and turkey products were sold before Thanksgiving between September 5 and November 15.

One has to question the timing of the recall notice, the day after Thanksgiving. This was obviously an economic move and put the public at risk.

If you have eaten any recalled product, you should label it “Do not eat!” and keep it until you are sure you are not infected with Listeria bacteria, up to 70 days after consumption of the product. For your records, please write down the day you bought the HoneyBaked ham or turkey, the day you ate it and when your symptoms started.  If you or a family member is diagnosed with listeriosis (Listeria infection), you should immediately contact Pritzker | Ruohonen for a free consultation. Our lawyers will make sure the correct testing is done to protect your legal rights. Even if you do not have any leftover ham or turkey, genetic testing may be able to link your Listeria infection to the HoneyBaked product.  Please call 1-888-377-8900, e-mail Fred Pritzker at fhp@pritzkerlaw.com or fill out the online-consultation form.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

HoneyBaked Foods Inc., a Holland, Ohio, firm, has voluntarily recalled approximately 46,941 pounds of cooked ham and turkey products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a foodborne pathogen that can be fatal to the elderly, people with compromised immune systems, newborns and unborn babies. Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Below is a news release from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health warning pregnant women and persons with weakened immune systems that they should avoid certain foods to reduce their risk of Listeria infection (listeriosis).  Pregnant women contract about one-third of all of the listeriosis cases per year.  The result is often miscarriage or stillbirth.  According to numbers compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been an unusually high number of listeriosis cases in other California counties as well as Los Angeles County.  Health officials are not yet declaring a Listeria outbreak because the infections appear to be from various sources.  If you have been diagnosed with a Listeria infection (listeriosis), contact a lawyer at Pritzker | Ruohonen for a free consultation.

Tracking cases from August to November of this year, Public Health reports 17 residents with listeriosis, an increase from nine residents last year during this same time period. Of the 17 cases, seven are pregnant women including five of Hispanic descent. This is an increase from only one case last year during the same time period. So far this year, there have been two stillbirths among the infected pregnant women.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Ballard's Farm Sausage, Inc. announced an extension of its voluntary recall involving all lots of Ballard's Farm 24 oz. Amish Macaroni salad, Ballard's Farm 24 oz. Amish Sweet Slaw, Ballard's Farm 12 oz. Cole Slaw, and Food City 12 oz. Cole Slaw because of possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. This is in addition to the recall of Ballard's Farm 12 oz. Egg Salad on October 22, 2006.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Share Link

A sample of Ballard's Farm Egg Salad sold in a Wake County, North Carolina, Wal-Mart store has tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, a potentially-fatal foodborne pathogen. Yesterday the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced a recall of Ballard's Farm Egg Salad sold in 12-ounce containers with the code "Best Used By 11/07/06." The egg salad is sold at Wal-Mart and other food retailers in North Carolina. It also has been distributed to Ohio, Indiana, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. More Ballard's Farm Egg Salad may be recalled after further testing.

North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler stated, "If consumers have this product, they shouldn't eat it, and should either discard it or return it to the place of purchase for a refund." However, if you have eaten some of the recalled Ballard's Farm Egg Salad, you should keep it until you are sure you have not contracted Listeria poisoning, also called listeriosis. Uneaten egg salad could be used as evidence if you are diagnosed with listeriosis. The incubation period for Listeria is anywhere from 10-70 days.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (1)
• Share Link

Herman Falter Packing Co. of Columbus, Ohio, has voluntarily recalled pork products due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, a life-threatening foodborne pathogen. The pork products were produced on September 13, 18 or 19, 2006, and were distributed to retail and wholesale establishments in the Columbus, Ohio, region. The Listeria risk was discovered through FSIS microbiological testing.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Share Link

Portillo's Food Service, Inc. of Chicago, Illinois, has voluntarily recalled about 3,703 pounds of sliced roast beef due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, a potentially-fatal foodborne pathogen. The fully-cooked, sliced roast beef was produced on Sept. 27 by Portillo's Food Service, Inc. and distributed to select Portillo's restaurant outlets in the Chicago area. The possible exposure was discovered through in-plant microbiological testing.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Share Link

Jumbo Foods, Inc. of Mukilteo, Washington, has recalled 1360 Tuscan Sun Turkey sandwiches because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Listeria infections can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. About 25% of the people who contract a Listeria infection (listeriosis) die.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Share Link

In the last four weeks, New York health officials reported 7 cases of Listeria monocytogenes to the Centers of Disease Control (CDC). With only a total of 48 cases of Listeria reported, New York had over 10% of the cases. (Ohio also had a high number of Listeria cases.) This seems to be a high percentage for one of 50 states.

Because the incubation period for Listeria bacterium can be as long as 70 days, health officials often are unable to find the source of a Listeria infection. We looked back at the products recalled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the last 70 days. There was one product recall due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination within the last 70 days that was distributed in New York: Monterey Mushrooms recalled about 10,000 cases of fresh sliced white mushrooms and fresh sliced baby bella mushrooms.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Share Link

In the last four weeks, Ohio health officials reported 6 cases of Listeria monocytogenes to the Centers of Disease Control (CDC). With only a total of 48 cases of Listeria reported, Ohio had about 10% of the cases. This seems to be a high percentage for one of 50 states.

It is often difficult to pinpoint the source of a Listeria infection (listeriosis) because the incubation period can be as long as 70 days. We looked back at the products recalled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the last 70 days.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Share Link

Monterey Mushrooms of Watsonville, CA, has recalled approximately 10,000 cases of fresh sliced white mushrooms and fresh sliced baby bella mushrooms, because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Share Link

Pritzker | Ruohonen, a national leader in Listeria litigation, is monitoring the recall of Salad of the Seas Cajun Smoked Salmon Dip and other products manufactured by Future Food Ltd. A recent press release issued by Schuncks grocery stores notifies customers that Salad of the Seas Cajun Smoked Salmon Dip was sold at Schnucks and Logli stores in St. Louis, Missouri. Future Food Ltd. voluntarily recalled the salmon dip and other dips, spreads and salads on August 15 because of possible contamination with Listeria moncytogenes, a potentially fatal foodborn pathogen.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Share Link

According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Safeway stores may have sold seafood dips that were recalled due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled salmon and imitation crab dips that may have been sold at Safeway stores in Colorado are "Salads of the Sea" Smoked Salmon Flavored Spread and Krab Spinach and Artichoke Dip, both manufactured by Future Food Ltd. and labeled with a use-by-date of Aug, 23, 2006, or lot code 06186. These dips were sold in 7-ounce containers.

We applaud the Colorado Department of Health for warning consumers about recalled products that may have been sold by a specific store, Safeway in this case. For most food recalls, consumers are not told specific stores where recalled products were sold, even though this information would be valuable to consumers.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Share Link

Pritzker | Ruohonen, a leader in the area of Listeria litigation, provides food recall information as a service to the public. On August 11, 2006, the FDA announced the recall of Supreme Krab Dip and Krab Dip Supreme (imitation crab dip) distributed by Future Food Ltd, of Dallas, Texas. Microbiological testing done on a sample of the distributed product found Listeria monocytogenes, a dangerous foodborne pathogen. Because of the dangerous nature of Listeria monocytogenes, which is fatal for about 25% of the people who become ill, Future Food, Ltd, expanded the recall to include dips, spreads and salads manufactured on the same day using the same equipment.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Share Link

Pritzker | Ruohonen, a leader in Listeria litigation, is monitoring the recall of imitation crab dip. Georgia officials found Listeria monocytogenes in a sample of Sea Supreme Krab Dip (imitation crab) sold at Georgia Winn-Dixie stores. As a result of this finding, the distributor of the crab dip, Future Food, LTD, of Dallas, Texas, expanded an August 11 recall of Supreme Krab Dip and Krab Dip Supreme to include all dips, spreads and salads manufactured on the same day using the same equipment.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Share Link

According to a story in the Great Falls Tribune (Montana), Albertsons and Chef Solutions Inc. have issued a recall for approximately 8,300 pounds of Essensia brand baked potato salad due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The potato salad recalled is Essensia Baked Potato Salad in a 16 oz. container with a use-by date of Aug. 17, 2006, that was sold in California, Florida, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Utah.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Share Link

The FDA has announced the recall of imitation crab dip due to possible Listeria contamination. Our law firm has represented several victims of Listeria outbreaks and provides Listeria recall information as a public service. Listeria monocytogenes poisoning (listeriosis) is a serious foodborne illness that kills 25% of its victims in the United States each year. The very young, elderly, and those with weakened immune systems are the most at risk. Pregnant women are at at greater risk for contracting listeriosis, which can cause miscarriages and stillbirths. Learn more about Listeria monocytogenes. Read about Listeria attorney Fred Pritzker on the Pritzker | Ruohonen website, www.pritzkerlaw.com.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (2)
• Share Link

Most consumers have no idea what Listeria is. In fact, the spell-check for Word considers Listeria a misspelling and questions whether it should be "wisteria." A study published in the Journal of Food Protection found that less than half of the consumers surveyed were aware of Listeria. The study found that lack of consumer awareness did not translate into risky storage practices, except that some demographic groups did store opened packages of vacuum-packed deli meats and freshly sliced deli meats for longer than the recommended time, 3 to 5 days.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (2)
• Share Link

The USDA-FSIS has announced a recall of Orientex Manila Style Hot Dogs due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes a foodborne pathogen that can cause listeriosis. The following hot dog products are subject to recall:

• 12-ounce packages of "ORIENTEX MANILA STYLE HOT DOGS." Each package bears the establishment number "Est. 17480" inside the USDA mark of inspection, as well as the product code, "065000717."

The Orientex Manila Style Hot Dogs were produced on July 17, 2006, and were distributed to a retail outlet in San Leandro, California.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Pritzker | Ruohonen is a leader in the area of food poisoning lawsuits. As part of the food safety community, we alert consumers to food poisoning news. In the last few weeks, potato salad has surfaced as a potential safety risk. On June 30 the FDA announced the recall of Shernoff's Potato Salad due to possible Listeria contamination. Earlier in June, a food poisoning outbreak in Bowling Green, Ohio, sickened 100 people. Health officials are looking at contaminated potato salad as the likely source. Nick & Jimmy's Bar and Grill of Toledo, Ohio, had provided the potato salad at a catered event.

With potato salad being recalled and linked to food poisoning in the last few weeks, we looked at CDC foodborne outbreak statistics from 2000-2004 (CDC 2005 statistics will not be out until December 2006 or later) to find information about past foodborne outbreaks linked to potato salad. We found that potato salad has been the source of 17 food poisoning outbreaks involving several different foodborne pathogens.

Potato Salad Food Poisoning Outbreaks 2000:

• Salmonella
• Staphylococcus aureus
• Norovirus

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

If you have eaten food that has been recalled because of Listeria contamination, the FDA recommends that people in a high-risk group should contact their physicians and inform them about the exposure. High-risk groups include the very young, the elderly, people with compromised immune systems, and pregnant women. Even with early treatment, a Listeria infection for someone in a high-risk group can be fatal.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Listeria monocytogenes, a life-threatening bacteria, has been found in a variety of raw foods as well as in processed foods that become contaminated after processing, such as soft cheeses and deli meat. Although Listeria can infect anyone, the people at greatest risk are the very young, the elderly, people with compromised immune systems, and pregnant women. Pregnant women are about 20 times more likely than other healthy adults to get listeriosis, the term for the illnesses associated with Listeria food poisoning.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Reseachers at the University of California, Berkeley, may have discovered why pregnant women are more likely to be infected by Listeria.

"The reason the mother is more susceptible is not necessarily because her immune system is compromised, but because the bacteria that got into her placenta are infecting her," said Anna Bakardjiev, the study's lead author and a postdoctoral researcher with Daniel Portnoy, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at UC Berkeley. "The miscarriages that result from these infections may be a natural defense mechanism to dispel this source of infection."

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Share Link

Pritzker | Ruohonen, lead attorneys in a major Listeria recall lawsuit, provide Listeria recall information as a public service. The FDA has announced the recall of Shernoff's brand Potato Salad because Listeria was discovered in both environmental and product samples. The FDA found Listeria in the room where Shernoff's Potato Salad was manufactured and in the finished product.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (2)
• Share Link

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced the recall by Swiss-American, Inc., of St. Louis, Missouri, of Cut Cahill's Farm Porter Cheese because Listeria monocytogenes, a rare but often fatal foodborne pathogen, was discovered in a sample of the product.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Listeria monocytogenes is rare but deadly. It has about a 25% fatality rate, higher than any other foodborne illness. According to an article in Nature Medicine, A University of Bristol team, led by Professor Jose Vazquez-Boland, has shown that one particular antibiotic - fosfomycin - can treat listeriosis, the foodborne disease caused by Listeria.

The ongoing battle with antibiotic resistence is pushing researchers to find new antibiotics to use for various bacterial foodborne diseases. If farmers continue to routinely use antibiotics, treating bacterial foodborne diseases with antibiotics will become increasingly more difficult. Viral foodborne diseases, hepatitis A and norovirus, can not be treated with antiobiotics, which are only effective against bacteria.

(Source: Nature Medicine (23 Apr 2006) Brief Communications)

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

An April 14, 2006, article in the Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report (MMWR), a weekly publication of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), says that Listeria cases rose in 2005 and failed to meet national objectives for lowering the rate of Listeria by 2005 (MMWR 2006 Apr 14;55(14):392-5) The Consumer Federation of America blames the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the rise in Listeria cases:

The Consumer Federation of America said while the government made progress lowering the rate between 1996 and 2002, Listeria has started to climb because USDA hasn't established tighter controls for deli meats and hot dogs. "There is no progress if you don't have the government pushing the industry to improve," said Carol Tucker

Foreman of the Consumer Federation of America. (Reuters)

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

On April 5, 2006, the U. S. Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) in cooperation with Town and Country Meats of Greene, Maine, announced a voluntary recall of 92 pounds of ham salad that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The ham salad was produced by Town and Country Meats on March 31 and April 3, 2006, and was distributed for sale in Maine. The recalled ham salad was packaged in 2-pound plastic tubs. The words "TOWN & COUNTRY FOODS, HAM SALAD" are on each tub. Each tub of ham salad also bears the establishment number "Est. 9710" inside the USDA mark of inspection, as well as the product code, "00906" or "00936."

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

At universities throughout the country, scientists are finding new ways to make our food supply safe from harmful foodborne pathogens like E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria. A March 31, 2006, Penn State article highlights the work of Dr. Ali Demirici, an associate professor of agriculture and biological engineering in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. According to the article, he is "every germ's worst nightmare."

Dr. Demirici is working on nonthermal ways to kill food pathogens which will not damage the quality of the food product. "I have been investigating the use of ozone, supercritical carbon dioxide, electrolyzed oxidizing water and pulsed UV-light," says Demirci in the article.

Having seen the devastating effects of food poisoning, we are encouraged at Pritzker | Ruohonen with the amount of research that is being done to prevent E. coli, Listeria, Salmonella and other foodborne illnesses. With Dr. Demirici, we hope his efforts "will pay off by reducing outbreaks due to consumption of minimally processed foods."

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link

Each year there are only about 1000 reports of Listeria monocytogenes in the United States. The fatality rate, however, is 25%, the highest rate for a foodborne illness. Because many listeria outbreaks are linked to deli meat, particularly deli turkey, extra precautions should be taken. According to a March 23, 2006, article in the Kansas City Star, Fadi Aramouni with the Food Science Institute at Kansas State University recommends heating deli meats or cold cuts to reduce the risk of Listeria, particularly if the meat is going to be eaten by someone in a high-risk group, including the very young, the elderly, and the immunocompromised. The meat could be microwaved, grilled, or cooked in boiling water.

Fred Pritzker is currently lead attorney for victims of the 2002 Northeast United States listeriosis outbreak that killed 12 people and injured more than 50 others. In this Listeria lawsuit, the listeriosis was linked to deli turkey. "Consumers cannot buy deli meat and assume it is safe to eat. If deli meat is contaminated with Listeria bacteria, people will become seriously ill if they eat it, unless the Listeria has been killed with heat."

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Share Link