Ground Buffalo E. coli Outbreak tied to Three Brands of Colorado Bison
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has found an association between ground bison made in Colorado and an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 that so far involves six DNA-confirmed cases -- five in Colorado.
Rocky Mountain Natural Meats of Henderson, Colo. recalled
66,000-poundsof product distributed in food stores throughout the United States and in restaurants via foodservice distributors based in Arizona and Utah.
Some bison steak medallions and bison sirloin steaks are included in the recall, but FSIS specifically cited ground buffalo in its news release for the 4th of July weekend. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is involved in the investigation.
"FSIS determined that there is an association between the ground bison products and the cluster of illnesses in the state of Colorado,'' the FSIS news release said.
Law office Pritzker Olsen also is investigating. The firm is a national leader in E. coli litigation and other foodborne illness lawsuits. We have years of direct experience representing E. coli victims, including those who have become severely sick from eating contaminated hamburger.
Contaminated ground bison can be just as dangerous as contaminated ground beef because pathogens can be located in the center of the meat, where they can survive cooking temperatures that are below 160 degrees. Color is not a reliable indicator of whether ground meat is done, so a food thermometer is required to be food safe.
E. coli 0157:H7 lives in the intestines of cattle and other animals without harming them. But when the organisms are ingested by humans, they emit a powerful toxin that attacks the person's red blood cells.
