Bravo Farms Cheese E. coli Recall Expands
Bravo Farms Cheese Factory in Traver, California, is recalling all of its cheese almost three weeks after an E. coli 0157:H7 outbreak prompted the initial recall by Costco Wholesale Corporation. The Fresno Bee is reporting that the latest action stems from an inspection by the California Department of Food and Agriculture. State inspectors found Listeria and E. coli contamination at its Traver plant, Bravo Farms partner Jonathan Van Ryn told the newspaper..
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Bravo Farms Dutch Style Gouda cheese sampled and sold at Costco in Arizona, Colorado, southern California, is linked to an outbreak of at least 33 E. coli infections in those states, including 15 people hospitalized. The label says the cheese is made from raw milk.Van Ryn told the Bee that the company decided to stop selling all of its cheese until state and federal inspectors continue to study the source of the contamination. "We have not isolated the problem yet and we are just trying to make sure we have it figured out," Van Ryn said. "The best thing to do was to pull everything back."
Bravo Farms sells a variety of cheeses at retail stores throughout the U.S., mainly on the West Coast, including gouda, pepper jack, Tulare cannonball and several different styles and flavors of cheddar cheese. The newspaper said it is unclear how long the company will stop selling its cheese or what economic impact it will have. A special message to customers about the outbreak is on the company's website. It begins: "First and foremost to the people sickened in recent weeks, we are taking this very seriously and are deeply saddened.''
At least one Bravo Farms E. coli lawsuit has been filed. The Costco and Bravo Farms suit was filed on behalf of an Arizona family whose members all fell ill to the contamination in Dutch Style Gouda cheese they sampled at Costco. The family is represented by law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., a national food safety law firm involved in practically every major outbreak of foodborne illness litigation.
PritzkerOlsen founder and president Fred Pritzker is spearheading these cases for the firm and he is continuing to accept new clients. For a free case consultation call 1-888-377-8900 or complete the contact form on the side of this Web page.
