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

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded $10.4 million in grants to 15 state universities to improve the safety of the nation’s food supply through research and education.

The USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) awarded the grants through its National Integrated Food Safety Initiative, which addresses a broad spectrum of food safety concerns, from on-farm production, post-harvest processing and distribution, to food selection, preparation and consumption.

The 2011 grants were awarded as follows:

• Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Ala., $100,000
• University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., $542,969
• Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, Ga., $100,000
• University of Georgia, Athens, Ga., $535,725
• University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Mass., $424,878
• Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich., $542,824
• Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich., $543,000
• Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich., $1,809,934
• North Carolina State University, Raleigh., N.C., $541,621
• Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, $1,864,665
• Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla., $543,000
• Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pa., $542,607
• Clemson University, Clemson, S.C., $542,999
• Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tenn., $100,000
• University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn., $542,977
• Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, $540,326
• University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis., $541,313
•  

Penn State will use its $542,607 grant to work with Iowa State University in developing an updated Egg Quality Assurance Program that will reduce Salmonella Enteritidis contamination of egg shells.

Salmonella cause salmonellosis a serious, sometimes life-threatening infection. Symptoms include nausea, headache, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramping. Complications include reactive arthritis and heart problems.

Subhashinie Kariyawasam, lead researcher on the project, said that Iowa State University was chosen as a research partner because the state lead’s the nation in egg production and it has recently experienced a major Salmonella outbreak, according to a story by Essential Public Radio in Pittsburgh.

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

The Minnesota Salmonella outbreak marks the second time in five years that shell eggs have been the source of a Salmonella outbreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Nearly 2,000 cases of salmonellosis were confirmed during the previous outbreak, which occurred during the summer of 2010. That outbreak was linked to unsanitary conditions on two Iowa farms: Wright County Egg, in Galt, Iowa, and Hillandale Farms of Iowa, Inc..

Salmonellosis, the infection caused by the bacteria Salmonella, causes an estimated 1.4 million cases of foodborne illness and more than 400 deaths annually in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Salmonella can be present on all raw foods including, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables, nut and legumes. To reduce risk of illness from eggs, the CDC recommends the following measures:

• Keep eggs refrigerated at or below 40° F (≤4° C) at all times.
• Discard cracked or dirty eggs.
• Wash hands and all food contact surface areas (counter tops, utensils, and cutting boards) with soap and water after contact with raw eggs. Then, disinfect the food contact surfaces using a sanitizing agent, such as bleach, following label instructions.
• Cook eggs until both the white and the yolk are firm, eat them promptly after cooking.
• Do not keep eggs warm or at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
• Refrigerate unused or leftover egg-containing foods promptly.
• Don’t eat raw or undercooked eggs.

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

A Minnesota Salmonella outbreak has been linked to organic shell eggs produced by Larry Schultz Organic Farm of Owatonna, a small community located in the southeastern part of the state. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) are investigating illnesses of at least six people in connection with a recall of organic shell eggs due to contamination with Salmonella Enteritidis.

Five of the six cases reported eating eggs from the Larry Schultz Organic Farm purchased at grocery stores or co-ops. The illnesses occurred between August 12 and September 24. The victims included children and adults all of whom lived in Twin Cities seven-county metropolitan area. Three of the victims required hospitalization, but have since recovered.

The problem was discovered during routine testing by state health officials. Larry Schultz Organic Farm is cooperating with the MDA investigation and has issued a voluntary recall of the products. The recalled eggs were distributed to restaurants, grocery stores, food wholesalers and foodservice companies in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. Cartons bearing Plant Number 0630 or a “Sell by” date are not included in this recall.

Grocery stores and co-ops that may have received the recalled eggs include the following:

Minnesota Retailers
Kowalski’s Markets
Lunds
Byerly's
Grass Roots Coop, Anoka
Valley Natural Foods, Burnsville
Lakewoods Natural Foods Chanhassen
Whole Foods Co-op Duluth
Cook County Coop, Grand Marais
Harvest Moon Coop, Long Lake
Bryn Mawr Market, Minneapolis
Eastside Food Co-op, Mpls
Grass Roots, Mpls
Linden Hills Food Co-op, Mpls
Seward Food Co-op, Mpls
The Wedge, Mpls
Whole Foods Minneapolis
Lakewinds Natural Foods, Minnetonka
Whole Foods Minnetonka
Sydney’s Health Market, Moorhead
Bread N’ Honey Pantry, Mora
Just Foods, Northfield
Fresh and Natural, Plymouth
Mazopiya Natural Foods, Prior Lake
Good Food Store Co-op, Rochester
Fresh & Natural Shoreview
Hampden Park Foods, St. Paul
Mississippi Market, Selby Ave., St. Paul
Mississippi Market, Randolph Ave., St. Paul
Whole Foods St. Paul
St. Peter Food Coop, St. Peter
River Market, Stillwater
Bluff County Co-op, Winona

Wisconsin Retailers
Fresh and Natural Hudson
Back to the Best Country Store, Rubicon
Natural Alternative Food Coop, Luck

Michigan Retailer
Marquette Food Coop, Marquette

Salmonella can cause serious, sometimes fatal infections in very young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy people infected with Salmonella may experience diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain. Those who may have become ill with Salmonella should contact their health care provider. Those with legal questions about an illness associated with this outbreak or recall should contact the nation’s leading foodborne illness lawyers at PritzkerOlsen, P.A. for a free consultation.

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

A Salmonella egg test result has prompted the recall of 24,000 dozen eggs by the country's largest maker of shell eggs: Mississippi-based Cal-Maine Foods Inc.

Published by Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the recall applies to eggs supplied to Cal-Maine by Ohio Fresh Eggs of Croton, Ohio. An FDA sample test found Salmonella Enteritidis -- the same type of Salmonella in eggs that sickened more than 1,800 Americans earlier this year in an outbreak linked to two Iowa egg producers.

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

As Salmonella litigation proceeds in the egg outbreak associated with two Iowa egg farms, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reviewing the findings of its investigation to evaluate what enforcement actions may be appropriate.

That statement from FDA Deputy Commissioner Joshua Sharfstein was made Wednesday in Washington, D.C., at a Congressional hearing on Salmonella in eggs. According to a transcript of the proceedings, Sharfstein said the agency found serious problems with pest control and manure handling when inspectors went to facilities operated by the DeCoster family. Those problems could have contributed to the spread of Salmonella, Sharfstein told the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

Although the DeCosters identified contaminated feed as a likely culprit for the outbreak, Sharfstein said the FDA wasn't ready to point to a single source for the problem.

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

The August inspection report of Quality Egg LLC (doing business as Wright County Egg) provides a clue to how over 500 million eggs could have to be recalled due to possible contamination with Salmonella Enteritidis.  Manure was 8 feet high in one area, and a door was "blocked with excessive amounts of manure."  Feel like eating an omelet?

Below is part of the investigation report (click here for full report):

You [Quality Egg LLC, d.b.a. Wright County Egg] failed to take steps to ensure there is no introduction or transfer of SE [Salmonella Enteritidis] into or among poultry houses. This was evidenced by the following observations:

Specifically,

a) There was only one entry doorway to access egg laying areas located at every other house. Entrances for houses on Layer I and Layer 2 were located on even numbered houses. Entrances for houses on Layer 3 and Layer 4 were located on odd numbered houses. For example, at Layer 3 and Layer 4—House 1 had a doorway and this same doorway had to be used to gain entrance to House 2.

b) Employees working within the houses did not wear or change protective clothing when moving from house to house. An employee at Layer 6 -House 3 was observed walking out of House 3 with a metal scraper and into House 2 without changing protective clothing and without cleaning/sanitizing equipment between the houses.

c) Un-caged birds (chickens having escaped) were observed in the egg laying operation in contact with the egg laying birds at Layer 3—Houses 9 and 16. The uncaged birds were using the manure, which was approximately 8 feet high, to access the egg laying area.

d) Layer 3 – House 11, the house entrance door to access both House 11 and 12 was blocked with excessive amounts of manure in the manure pits.  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

California, Minnesota, Colorado,  Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas, Nevada and Wisconsin are among at least 18 states where eggs potentially contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis have been sold.

The California egg recall now includes retail brands and foodservice packages sold in southern California and Las Vegas by Moark LLC of Fontana. These retail brands are Albertsons, Yucaipa Valley, Farmer’s Gems and Mountain Dairy.

The 24,300 dozen eggs involved in the latest California egg recall were purchased from Hillandale Farms of Iowa, where there have been laboratory-confirmed Salmonella Enteriditis illnesses linked to shell eggs. Moark repackaged the eggs and sold them to retailers and wholesalers. 

To date, as many as 60 people in Los Angeles County have been confirmed to have the Salmonella strain associated with the recalled eggs. Statewide, California Salmonella egg cases exceed 200, health officials have said.

 Healthy people infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections, endocarditis or reactive arthritis, also known as Reiter's syndrome.

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

The FDA has put out some great information for consumers so that they can determine if the eggs in the refrigerator are part of the egg recall linked to eggs produced by Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms, both of Iowa (and run by the same family):

Dates and codes can be found stamped on the packaging. The plant number begins with the letter "P", followed by a number (P-1946 in the example below). The Julian date follows the plant number (223 in the example).

 

It is important to note that both the plant number and Julian date must match. If the Julian date does not match the affected plant number, then your eggs are not currently involved in the recall.

The following table lists all brands of shell eggs under recall. The recalled eggs originated from Wright County Egg or from Hillandale Farms of Iowa. The brands listed were either recalled by these two firms or were recalled by other firms who received the eggs and repacked them under additional brand names. 

Is the brand that made you sick listed? If not, let us know, and we will add it to the list.

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

In the nationwide egg recall, the Food and Drug Administration has released an easy-to-read listing of recalled egg packages complete with brand name, plant number and Julian date.

On recalled egg cartons, the numbers are stamped on the outside end. The plant number is preceded by a letter "P" on the package. The Julian date follows.

As compiled by the Egg Safety Center, Here are the egg brands, plant numbers and Julian dates for the Wright County Egg Salmonella and Hillandale Farms egg recalls.

Note: This list will be updated with publicly available information as received. The information is current as of the date indicated. If we learn that any information is not accurate, we will revise the list as soon as possible.

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

Hundreds of people have contracted Salmonella enteritidis infections in a national outbreak linked to eggs.  Prompted by this outbreak, on August 13 and August 18, Wright County Egg of Galt Iowa recalled over 300 million eggs because the companies eggs had been implicated as a possible source of the outbreak.  Now, Hillandale Farms of Iowa has recalled over 100 million shell eggs because "there have been laboratory-confirmed Salmonella enteritidis illnesses associated with the shell eggs."

The recalled Hillandale eggs were distributed to grocery distribution centers, retail grocery stores and foodservice companies.  People have contracted Salmonella enteritidis infections after eating at restaurants, events and at home. 

At least 26 restaurant-associated Salmonella enteritidis outbreaks may have been caused by eggs, according to the CDC. 

The recalled Hillandale eggs were distributed under the following brand names:

• Hillandale Farms
• Sunny Farms
• Sunny Meadow

They were distributed in 6-egg cartons, dozen-egg cartons, 18-egg cartons, 30-egg package, and 5-dozen cases.

Loose eggs were packaged under the following brand names: Wholesome Farms and West Creek in 15 and 30-dozen tray packs. The loose eggs may have been repackaged under a different brand..

The only eggs effected by this recall have plant numbers P1860 or P1663 and Julian dates as follows:

• P1860 – Julian dates ranging from 099 to 230
• P1663 – Julian dates ranging from 137 to 230

Only eggs with these plant numbers are effected - even though the brand name may be the same

Julian dates and plant codes can be found stamped on the end of the egg carton or printed on the case label. The plant number begins with the letter P and then the number. The Julian date follows the plant number, for example: P1860 230.

During this outbreak, new federal egg safety rules went into effect.  In addition to other safety measures, these rules require additional testing to prevent Salmonella outbreaks.  Policy makers, regulators and the consuming public have a right to know whether Hillandale Farms was adequately testing for Salmonella and following the most up-to-date safety rules. The public has a right to know why this outbreak happened.

Our law firm has received calls from people throughout the United States with questions about this recall and an egg lawsuit.  To contact an egg recall lawyer, please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit our free consultation form.

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

Like the peanut Salmonella outbreak of 2008-2009, the Salmonella Egg outbreak associated with Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa, is triggering secondary recalls.

As a mega-producer, Wright County sells to other packagers. Hence, Los Angeles-based Country Eggs Inc. has announced a recall of shell eggs that it purchased from Wright County Egg.

Country Eggs is recalling specific Julian dates of shell eggs produced by Wright County because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis. 

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

Texas Salmonella egg outbreak is under investigation and the Texas Department of State Health Services is advising consumers to heed the Salmonella egg recall from Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa.

Since mid-May in Texas, there have been more than 150 Salmonella Enteritidis infections in more than 40 counties throughout the state. The health department said in a press release: "Investigation is ongoing to determine if Wright County Egg products are linked to the illnesses.''

Wright County Egg company issued a recall on eggs from its facility in Galt, Iowa, on August 13 and then expanded the recall three days later to include 380 million eggs, or 32 million egg cartons. Wright County eggs are shipped to Texas by way of one or more intermediary distributors, the health department said.

Click here for a list of Wright County Egg brand names and other recall information.

Evidence of an association between Wright County Egg and this foodborne diarrheal illness has emerged from restaurant Salmonella outbreaks and clusters of Salmonella case among people who have attended the same social events. Sometimes raw or undercooked eggs are involved as ingredients in salad dressing or meringue.

Nationally, nearly 2,000 Salmonella Enteritidis illnesses are being investigated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), FDA and state health agencies to determine how many were caused by contaminated eggs from Iowa. 

So far, no deaths have been reported. Most health adults survive Salmonella infections with no treatment, but they can be potentially lethal for young children, older adults and others with weakened or under-developed immune systems.

Minnesota, Colorado, California, Nevada, Wisconsin and Illinois are among other possible Salmonella egg hot spots.

Law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A. is conducting its own investigation of the egg Salmonella outbreak and is in contact with victims. A Salmonella lawyer at the firm will provide you with a free case consultation at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or you may complete the contact form on the side of this Web page.

PritzkerOlsen  is a leading food safety law firm involved in virtually every foodborne illness outbreak in the United States. The firm has collected millions of dollars on behalf of people injured or killed as a result of adulterated food, including eggs contaminated with Salmonella. 

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

The latest Salmonella egg recall information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in an outbreak investigation update. The CDC is reporting that a total of nearly 2,000 illnesses are being examined as possbily part of the nationwide Salmonella Enteritidis egg outbreak.

The associated Salmonella egg recall by Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa, has been expanded to cover 380 million eggs, or 32 million egg cartons.

According to the CDC, public health officials in 10 states since April have identified 26 restaurants or events where more than one ill person with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Enteritidis has eaten.

Data from these investigations suggest that shell eggs are a likely source of infections in many of these restaurants or events. Preliminary information indicates that Wright County Egg, in Galt, Iowa, was an egg supplier in 15 of these 26 restaurants or events, the CDC said.

Formal tracebacks conducted by public health officials in California, Colorado, and Minnesota have found that shell eggs from five of these restaurants or events were from a single firm, Wright County Egg in Galt, Iowa. California alone has had more than 200 of these cases so far this year -- far more than normal for the state during this time period.

An extensive federal investigation taking place at Wright County Egg in Iowa is looking for potential sources of contamination, such as feed,  the CDC press release said.

All indications are that this Salmonella Enteritidis egg outbreak could be one of the largest food poisoning episodes of 2010. 

 From May 1 to July 31, 2010, a total of 1,953 Salmonella Enteritidis illnesses were reported on CDC's national molecular subtyping network, PulseNet. The normal count of Salmonella Enteritidis cases over the same period is about 700.

 A key to the investigation is distinguishing the egg cases from non-outbreak background cases.

Law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A. is providing free case consultations to anyone who has eaten eggs and fallen ill. For information about a Salmonella egg lawsuit, call the firm at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete the contact form on the side of this Web page.

PritzkerOlsen  is a leading food safety law firm involved in virtually every foodborne illness outbreak in the United States. The firm has collected millions of dollars on behalf of people injured or killed as a result of adulterated food, including eggs contaminated with Salmonella.

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

Nevada Salmonella Egg concerns have peaked because the state has seen a spike in Salmonella Enteritidis cases and Wright County Egg lists Nevada as a distribution point for eggs recalled because of possible contamination.

The Southern Nevada Health District has identified a very sizable increase in the number of Salmonella Enteritidis cases of a specific type in the community. The health district has not pinned down the cause, but it has reported 30 cases of this type since January 2010, which is four times more than normally reported.

The health district said it is collaborating with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service to investigate the nationwide increase in Salmonella Enteritidis. With help from CDC and FDA, health investigators from Minnesota, California and Colorado have all associated clusters and spikes of these infections to shell eggs produced by Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa.

Nevada consumers who have fallen ill after consuming egg products should seek immediate care from a physician and request a stool culture be taken. For answers to legal questions about a Nevada Salmonella egg lawsuit, call law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A. at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete the contact form on the side of this Web site.

Our firm is one of the few in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation and we have collected millions for victims of food poisoning. Minnesota, where we are based, is one of the first states to tie the increase in Salmonella Enteritidis to the Iowa egg mega-producer. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The following was released August 13, 2010:

Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa is voluntarily recalling specific Julian dates of shell eggs produced by their farms because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections, endocarditis or arthritis.

Wright County Egg Lawsuit

To determine who is part of a Salmonella enteritidis outbreak and the source of an outbreak, health officials use both microbiology and epidemiology. Both types of evidence can be used in a Salmonella lawsuit against the parties responsible for the contamination of the food product and the sale and distribution of the contaminated product.

The microbiology is a series of tests on samples of Salmonella taken from suspected food and the stools of people sickened.

Initial tests determine if the bacteria is Salmonella enteritidis. If testing confirms that you have Salmonella enteritidis, the law in your state requires that your doctor or the hospital has to report the test findings to the state health department. The state health department will usually do further testing (or send the sample to the Unites States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - CDC) to confirm if the genetic fingerprint of your sample matches the genetic fingerprint of the salmonella strains from other people associated with this outbreak.

The epidemiology used involves primarily interviews with people who have been sickened and their families. Health officials get information about where the sick person has been, what he or she ate and other questions that will give direction as to a source of the outbreak.

Determining Victims of an Salmonella Outbreak

A series of events occurs between the time someone is infected and when public health officials determine that the patient is part of an outbreak. So, there will be a delay between the start of illness and confirmation that a patient is part of an outbreak.

Steps to confirmation that a person is part of an outbreak:

• Laboratory Salmonella diagnosis from a stool sample and genetic testing
• Diagnosis based on Salmonella symptoms

For  Salmonella enteritidis lawsuit purposes, it is valuable to have a state health department and/or the CDC determine that a person with a Salmonella infection is part of a foodborne outbreak.  This can be used as evidence in court that:

• The person with the Salmonella infection was a victim of the foodborne outbreak
• The restaurant, food processor and/or other party linked to the outbreak is liable for the victim’s damages

Victims of Salmonella outbreaks should consult an experienced Salmonella lawsuit lawyer regarding an Salmonella lawsuit's strength and the amount of damages that should be sought.

Salmonella Lawyer

If you have been diagnosed with Salmonella enteritidis and are or may be a victim of a foodborne outbreak, contact a Salmonella lawyer at PritzkerOlsen, P.A. for a free consultation regarding your legal rights and remedies.  You may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, emotional distress and other damages. Call 1-888-377-8900.

Salmonella lawsuit lawyer Fred Pritzker has over 30 years of experience and has established a national reputation for excellence in the area of food poisoning litigation.  He has recovered millions for victims of food poisoning.


 

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

Wright County Egg has voluntarily issued a recall on 228,000,000 shell eggs due to possible Salmonella contamination.

Wright County Egg is one of the largest egg producing companies in the country. It is based in Galt, Iowa. The egg recall is only applicable to shell eggs with plant codes of P1026, P1413 and P1946. The eggs were packaged between May 16th and August 13th and were sold to distributors and wholesalers in California, Nevada, Colorado, Minnesota, Nebraska, Missouri, Wisconsin and Iowa.

The Wright County Egg voluntary recall was issued after the product was linked to Salmonella enteritidis illnesses were reported in California (266), Minnesota (7), Nevada and Colorado. The CDC reported that they have seen four times as many Salmonella enteritidis illnesses reported in June and July.

The Centers for Disease Control has issued an advisory to state health departments, hospitals, and nursing homes on specific measures to reduce the spread of Salmonella enteritidis. Government agencies and the egg industry are also working to reduce Salmonella enteritidis outbreaks by identifying and removing infected flocks from the egg supply and tightening quality assurance and sanitation measures. In addition, eggs from known infected commercial flocks will be pasteurized instead of being sold as grade A shell eggs.

Ways to Reduce the Risk of Salmonella enteritidis Infection

• Refrigerate whole eggs.
• Throw out cracked or dirty eggs.
• Thoroughly wash hands and cooking utensils with soap and water if they come into contact with raw eggs.
• Eat eggs soon after cooking. Do not have eggs out for more than 2 hours.
• Immediately refrigerate unused or leftover foods that contain eggs.
• Do not eat raw eggs (as in homemade ice cream, raw cookie dough or eggnog).
• Avoid restaurant dishes made with raw or undercooked, unpasteurized eggs (such as Hollandaise sauce or Caesar salad dressing).

Wright County Egg Recall - Lawyer for Salmonella Poisoning

Lawyer Fred Pritzker and his team of attorneys are investigating the Salmonella enteritidis outbreak linked to eggs produced by Wright County Egg. Contact PritzkerOlsen, P.A. law firm for a free consultation about an eggs salmonella lawsuit and class action lawsuit information. Call 1-888-377-8900.

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

Salmonella Egg Recall

Wright County Egg, Galt, Iowa, is voluntarily recalling 228,000,000 shell eggs because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella enteritidis. Salmonella bacterium can cause serious, life-threatening infections in small children, elderly people and anyone with a weakened immune system. Salmonella poisoning symptoms include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. If serious cases go untreated, Salmonella infection can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream. Once in the blood stream it can produce illnesses such as arterial infections, endocarditis or arthritis.

Wright County Eggs were distributed to retailers in California, Illinois, Missouri, Colorado, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. These retailers distribute nationwide, so check the eggs in your refrigerator for the follwing brands: Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph’s, Boomsma’s, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farms and Kemps. Look for codes starting with P and with Julian dates ranging from 136 to 225, with plant numbers 1026, 1413 and 1946 (e.g. P-1026 140). This recall is of shell eggs only.

If you have any of these eggs in your refrigerator, do not eat them. You may return them to the store where purchased for a refund.

There have been confirmed Salmonella enteritidis illnesses relating to the shell eggs in California, Nevada, Colorado and Minnesota. Traceback investigations are still being conducted.

Wright County Egg is fully cooperating with FDA’s investigation and they are diverting existing inventory of shell eggs to a breaker, where they will be pasteurized to kill any Salmonella bacteria present.

Salmonella Egg Recall Lawyer

If you have been sickened with Salmonella enteritidis, you need legal representation to obtain the best settlement to cover your medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering.

PritzkerOlsen, P.A. is a leading foodborne illness litigation firm. We have helped thousands of clients recover millions in needed and deserved compensation. Call 1-888-377-8900 (toll-free) or submit the contact form on this page. The consultation is free. Call today.

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

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