Marie Callender's Salmonella Outbreak Update
More evidence of a multi-state Marie Callender's Salmonella outbreak has been uncovered by the Minnesota Department of Health.
The agency reported finding Salmonella Chester in a previously unopened Marie Callender's frozen meal from the home of a case patient. That patient is one of at least two people sickened in Minnesota as part of the outbreak. The bacteria is being tested to see if it matches the outbreak strain..jpg)
Pritzker Olsen law firm is closely following the research and conducting its own investigation. If you or a loved one has suffered diarrhea and stomach cramps after eating a Marie Callender's frozen meal, contact a physician immediately and ask for a stool culture to be taken.
For answers to legal questions about possible compensation, call Pritzker Olsen at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete the online contact form on the right side of this Web page. We are seeking direct contact with victims of this outbreak -- which is likely to grow beyond its current status of 30 illnesses in 15 states.
Our firm is a national leader in foodborne illness litigation and we are involved on the side of victims in practically every major outbreak of foodborne illness, recovering millions for survivors of food poisoning.
Marie Callender's Recall Information
ConAgra Foods, which has operations in Council Bluffs, Iowa, has announced a nationwide recall of Marie Callender’s Cheesy Chicken & Rice single-serve frozen entrees. All packages, regardless of date, are covered by the recall. The company said the Marie Callender's recall was announced in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investigation of the Salmonella Chester outbreak.
Marie Callender's Salmonella Chester Investigation
According to the CDC, the number of ill people identified in each state with this strain is as follows: CA (4), CO (2), GA (6), IL (1), KY (1), MA (2), MN (2), MO (1), NC (1), OK (1), OR (2), SC (2), TN (1), UT (1), and VA (3).
Case patients range in age from less than 1 to 88 with a median age of 37. Among 15 victims with available information, six were hospitalized. Illnesses began between April 5 and May 29, but could still be occurring.
Food history interviews were conducted with 14 ill and 21 well persons. Among the ill, 86 percent reported eating a frozen meal and 100 percent who reported eating a frozen meal said it was a Marie Callender's frozen meal. "Preliminary analysis of this study suggests eating a Marie Callender’s frozen meal as a possible source of illness.''
This map show the number of known cases per state. CDC and state and local public health partners are continuing surveillance to identify new cases and identify the contaminated product or products that are causing illness.
A ConAgra spokeswoman told CIDRAP News that many meal components, including chicken, are pre-cooked during the manufacturing process. But others are not, including vegetables. Consumers are reminded by this outbreak to thoroughly cook all frozen meals purchased in grocery stores.
