Arizona E. coli Outbreak

Pritzker | Ruohonen is currently investigating the E. coli outbreak associated with recalled ground beef sold at Arizona grocery stores, including Albertson's, Basha's, Fry's, 'R' Ranch Markets, Safeway, Sam's Club, Save-A-Lot, Smart and Final, Smith's and Trader Joe's. This recall is part of a multi-state recall of ground beef issued by United Food Group LLC. At least 6 people in Arizona have contracted E. coli O157:H7 infections in this outbreak.

Pritzker | Ruohonen has extensive experience with E. coli lawsuits and has recovered millions for E. coli victims. The firm is currently representing several victims of an Arizona foodborne illness outbreak linked to a restaurant. Attorney Fred Pritzker has gained a national reputation and has been interviewed by the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and others. Attorneys Fred Pritzker and Rich Ruohonen have, once again, been named "Super Lawyers" by their state's legal magazine.

If you have been diagnosed with E. coli O157:H7 after eating ground beef sold at an Arizona grocery store, attorney Fred Pritzker and his team at Pritzker | Ruohonen have the E. coli lawsuit experience you need to be compensated for your medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost earnings, and other damages. To contact Pritzker | Ruohonen, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the Pritzker | Ruohonen online consultation form.

Below is the June 5, 2007, Arizona Department of Health press releases regarding the E. coli outbreak linked to ground beef sold at Arizona grocery stores. A June 12 press release notified the public that the recalled ground beef shipped to the following stores could have been repackaged: Albertson's, Basha's, Fry's, 'R' Ranch Markets, Safeway, Sam's Club, Save-A-Lot, Smart and Final, Smith's and Trader Joe's.

Pritzker | Ruohonen is reprinting the June 5 press release here (with comments and updates) as a public service.

Health Officials Urge Arizonans to Discard Certain Ground Beef Products Because of Possible E. Coli O157:H7 Contamination

June 5, 2007 - State Health Laboratory tests have identified four E. coli 0157:H7 cases in Arizona (there are now 6 confirmed cases) that may be linked to the recalled ground beef from a California plant.

Health officials said the E. coli DNA fingerprint in the four Arizona cases matches the illnesses and ground beef, but further confirmation is necessary to determine whether the ground beef is responsible. [Note from Pritzker | Ruohonen: Each E. coli O157:H7 outbreak involves a genetically-unique E. coli O157:H7 bacterium.]

Of the four cases, two are in Maricopa County, and one each in Yavapai and Navajo counties. Two of the Arizona cases were hospitalized but recovered. Health officials continue to investigate the other cases.

The Arizona Department of Health Services is urging residents who purchased ground beef to check the product for specific code information and discard it or return it to the place of purchase for a refund. [Note from Pritzker | Ruohonen: If someone has eaten some of the ground beef, DO NOT THROW IT AWAY. Put it in a plastic bag, label the bag "Do not eat - 1-888-377-8900," and put it in the refrigerator. Watch for symptoms of E. coli. If someone is sickened, call an E. coli lawyer at Pritzker | Ruohonen toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 for a free consultation regarding your legal rights and remedies.]

The ground beef has been recalled due to possible contamination with E. coli O157:H7. United Food Group, LLC, a Vernon, Calif., establishment, announced Monday it is voluntarily recalling approximately 75,000 pounds of ground beef products because they may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. [If you are sickened by the recalled ground beef, you may have a case against United Food Group LLC, Supervalue or another distributor of the ground beef, Save-A-Lot or another grocery store, and others. Contact Pritzker | Ruohonen about a possible lawsuit.]

The ground beef products were produced on April 20 and were shipped to retail distribution centers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon and Utah. The labels of the products subject to recall bear the establishment number "EST. 1241" inside the USDA mark of inspection or printed on the package. All of the products bear a sell by date of "May/06/07," a freeze by date of "May/07/07" or a produced on date of "April/20/07." Products subject to recall include:

10-pound casings of "MORAN'S All Natural, 73/27 fine ground beef."
10-pound casings of "MORAN'S All Natural, 90/10 fine ground sirloin."
2-pound chubs of "INTER-AMERICAN PRODUCTS 93/7 ground beef."
1-pound chubs of "INTER-AMERICAN PRODUCTS 80/20 ground beef."
1-pound chubs of "MORAN'S All Natural 73/27 ground beef."
5-pound chubs of "MORAN'S All Natural 73/27 ground beef."
5-pound chubs of "MORAN'S All Natural 73/27 ground beef."
1-pound chubs of "MORAN'S All Natural, 90/10 fine ground sirloin."
2-pound chubs of "MORAN'S All Natural 93/7 ground beef."
2-pound chubs of "MORAN'S All Natural 96/4 ground beef."
3-pound chubs of "STATER BROS. MARKETS 73/27 ground beef."

Don Herrington, head of Epidemiology and Disease Control for the Department of Health. . . explained that E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration. The very young, seniors and people with compromised immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness.

To avoid problems, cook ground beef to 160° F to kill E. coli and most other bacteria. Test the meat by putting a food thermometer in the thickest part of the meat. Do not eat ground beef that is still pink in the middle.

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