Grand Supercenter, Inc. of Lyndhurst, NJ has announced an HC Fresh frozen croaker recall due to possible contamination with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium that can cause botulism. Botulism is a potentially-fatal form of food poisoning.

the recalled HC Fresh frozen salted croaker was distributed through H Mart stores including H Mart and Super H Mart in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Texas area. The HC Fresh frozen croaker recall announcement provides the following description of the recalled croaker:

HC Fresh, Frozen Salted Croaker,
Net. Wt.: 16.9 oz (480 gram),
Item # HC 0500402,
Expiration Date: Aug 02. 2009

FDA is warning consumers not to use these products even if they do not look or smell spoiled.

If someone has consumed the recalled croaker, they should watch for botulism symptoms, which may include the following: general weakness, dizziness, double-vision, and trouble with speaking or swallowing. Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation may also be common symptoms. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention. If someone is diagnosed with botulism, they or a family member should contact a botulism lawyer immediately.

Published April 2008.

Labels: botulism lawyer, croaker recall

In 2006, an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak was linked to packaged fresh spinach. 205 people were had laboratory-confirmed cases of the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7.1 According to the FDA, this was the 20th major outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 in fresh lettuce or spinach since 1995.2

This month, the United States House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform issued a report on their investigation into the Food and Drug Administration’s efforts to protect the safety of packaged fresh spinach entitled, “FDA and Fresh Spinach Safety.” As part of the investigation, the committee requested and received inspection records for all FDA inspections of firms producing packaged fresh spinach from 2001 to 2007. The committee’s investigation of the FDA inspection records revealed that during this time period the FDA did not providing adequate oversight of packaged spinach plants and did not take enforcement actions when FDA inspectors observed and reported “objectionable conditions” at the plants. Instead the FDA requested voluntary compliance after recording violations, and there were numerous violations.

Labels: FDA, government reform, spinach ecoli

A story in The Denver Post gives a glimpse into the pain suffered by one small victim of the Salmonella outbreak linked to the Alamosa, Colorado, water system. At least 237 residents have reported experiencing symptoms of Salmonella. There have been 72 lab-confirmed cases.

According to The Denver Post story, Miya Spangler, one of the lab-confirmed cases, became ill last Tuesday:

"Last Tuesday she woke up after midnight crying. She had a really high fever and bad diarrhea," said Miya's mother, 20-year-old Amanda Spangler.
"I had a really bad feeling about it," she said.

She took her daughter to the doctor the day officials realized they were in the grip of a salmonella outbreak caused by contaminated city drinking water.

"I felt terrible because I gave her the bottle, the formula, that made her sick," Amanda said. "For two days she had no expression on her face. She just lay there."

Miya's father, Joey, said that for part of her week-long illness his daughter was either asleep or crying.

The water was bad, so her parents couldn't bathe her to bring down her temperature, which her mother said topped out at 105.9 degrees.

The baby had a terrible rash. She threw up. She had blood in her stool, her mother said.

Posted March 2008.

Labels: Alamosa Colorado, Salmonella