Below are recent E. coli outbreaks associated with ground beef. PritzkerOlsen is representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and families of victims who died. Some of our cases involving these outbreaks have been settled. Please contact the firm for a free consultation.

• California and Wisconsin E. coli Outbreak Linked to Rochester Meat Company: At least 6 people have contracted E. coli O157:H7 infections associated with eating Rochester Meat Company ground beef served in restaurants and food service institutions in Wisconsin and California. Rochester Meat Company has recalled about 188,000 pounds of ground beef due to possible contamination with E. coli O157:H7. Read more about the Rochester Meat Company recall and lawsuit.
• E. coli outbreak Associated with American Foods Ground Beef: The Illinois Department of Health reported 2 cases of E. coli O157:H7 associated with recalled American Foods ground beef. The American Foods Group recall involved about 95,927 pounds of various coarse and fine ground beef products. The recalled ground beef was sent to retail outlets and distributors in Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Virginia. Learn more about the American Foods ground beef recall and a possible American Foods Group lawsuit.
• Multi-State E. coli Outbreak Linked to Cargill Hamburger Patties Sold at Sam's Club: 5 people in Minnesota , 4 people in Wisconsin, 2 children in North Carolina, and 3 children in Tennessee have been linked to Sam's Club hamburgers processed by Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation.
• Multi-State E. coli Outbreak Linked to Topps Hamburger: At least 40 confirmed cases of E. coli O157:H7 have been associated with recalled Topps hamburgers. Learn more about the Topps hamburger recall, the New Jersey E. coli-Topps cases, the Pennsylvania E. coli-Topps cases, and the New York E. coli-Topps cases.
• Oregon & Washington E. coli Outbreak Associated with interstate Meat: Cases of E. coli infection in Washington and Oregon have been associated with Interstate Meat Dist., Inc, an Oregon firm. In response to this outbreak, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for approximately 41,305 pounds of ground beef products. Read More about the Ground Beef E. coli recall.
• New York E. coli Outbreak Associated with Stew Leonard's Ground Beef: The recall was prompted by 3 cases of E. coli O157:H7 associated with eating ground beef from the Stew Leonard's Yonkers store. The three people sickened are from the same family. Read Stew Leonard's lawsuit and lawyer information.
• Multi-State E. coli Outbreak Linked to United Food Group Ground Beef: People in several states contracted E. coli O157:H7 infections in an outbreak linked to multi-state recall of ground beef issued by United Food Group LLC.
  

Labels: American Foods Group Recall, Rochester Meat Company, Topps recall, United Food Group gound beef

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Contact: Fred Pritzker
Company Name: Pritzker | Olsen & Associates, P.A.
Email: fhp@pritzkerlaw.com
Phone: (612)338-0202
Website: http://www.pritzkerlaw.com

Fred Pritzker, a leading food safety lawyer, calls for food safety disclosure laws following a recently announced recall involving 48 tons of ground beef products by American Foods Group, LLC.

Minneapolis, MN November 29, 2007 -- So far this year over 28 million pounds of beef products have been recalled due to possible contamination with E. coli O157:H7. Most recently, American Foods Group, LLC, a Green Bay, Wisconsin firm, recalled 48 tons of ground beef products.

Fred Pritzker, a leading food safety lawyer, believes more information about recalls and the companies involved in them should be readily available to consumers. "It is extremely difficult for the average consumer to learn anything about a company's E. coli O157:H7 track record and just as hard to find out if recalled hamburger made its way into the consumer's household (much less the mouths of his/her loved ones)," states Pritzker. "That's because the labels on most ground beef products do not disclose the identity of the company that produced it. In other words, even if a consumer wanted to avoid products from a company that consistently produced hamburger laced with E. coli O157:H7, there is no way to find out."

Pritzker continues, "There is simply no readily accessible source of information, other than digging through old press releases from the United States Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), about a meat producer's prior safety record. Even that won't tell you how many people were sickened in prior outbreaks, the cause of the outbreaks, what corrective action, if any, was taken, and what fines or penalties were levied."

According to Pritzker, consumers do not have important information about recalls because no law requires adequate labeling and no government agency is required to produce readily accessible information that allows consumers to make informed choices.

To remedy this situation, Pritzker recommends a two-pronged approach: 1) enact a federal law requiring every meat package to identify the name of the company that produced it and the date on which it was produced and 2) have a federally-funded web site that lists data about each federally inspected producer including the company's past history of recalls, amount of product recalled, the number of people injured or killed in past foodborne illness outbreaks and other information that allows for informed consumer choice.

Fred Pritzker, is the founding partner of Pritzker | Olsen, P.A., one of America's leading food safety law firms. He practices in Minnesota and represents survivors of foodborne illness throughout the United States. He may be reached toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or through the firm's web site at http://www.pritzkerlaw.com

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Labels: American Foods Group Recall, food safety lawyer

West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass is warning consumers about a recall of ground beef products in surrounding states.

American Foods Group, LLC, a Green Bay, Wisconsin, firm, has recalled approximately 95,927 pounds of various coarse and fine ground beef products because they may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) announced Saturday.

The ground beef products subject to recall were produced on October 10, 2007, and were distributed to retail establishments and distributors in Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Tennessee, Wisconsin and Virginia.

“Although West Virginia was not explicitly mentioned in the recall, it is possible some of that product entered the state, given the number of states bordering ours that are included,” said Commissioner Douglass.

The problem was discovered through an investigation of two illnesses by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

The following products are subject to recall:

• Bulk weight packages of "BEEF, FINE GROUND 73/27." Each shipping label bears a product code of "65000."
• Bulk weight packages of "BEEF, FINE GROUND 75/25." Each shipping label bears a product code of "65800."
• Bulk weight packages of "BEEF SIRLOIN, FINE GROUND 90/10." Each shipping label bears a product code of "66000."
• Bulk weight packages of "BEEF, FINE GROUND 80/20." Each shipping label bears a product code of "66400."
• Bulk weight packages of "BEEF, FINE GROUND 75/25." Each shipping label bears a product code of "19900."
• Bulk weight packages of "BEEF, FINE GROUND 73/27." Each shipping label bears a product code of "20100."
• Bulk weight packages of "BEEF CHUCK, FINE GROUND 82/18." Each shipping label bears a product code of "20600."
• Bulk weight packages of "CHOP BEEF STEAK, FINE GRIND "86/14." Each shipping label bears a product code of "30000."
• Bulk weight packages of "BEEF SIRLOIN, FINE GROUND 92/08." Each shipping label bears a product code of "30400."
• Bulk weight packages of "BEEF ROUND, FINE GROUND 87/13." Each shipping label bears a product code of "30200."
• Bulk weight packages of "BEEF, FINE GROUND 80/20." Each shipping label bears a product code of "30700."
• Bulk weight packages of "BEEF CHUCK, FINE GROUND 82/18." Each shipping label bears a product code of "31400."
• Bulk weight packages of "BEEF, FINE GROUND 93/07." Each shipping label bears a product code of "31600."
• Bulk weight packages of "BEEF, FINE GROUND 73/27." Each shipping label bears a product code of "31700."
• Bulk weight packages of "BEEF MODIFIED, FINE GROUND 93/07." Each shipping label bears a product code of "31900."

Each shipping label bears the establishment number “Est. 18076” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

The products subject to recall were distributed for further processing and repackaging and will not bear the recalling firm’s establishment number on the package. (Read a press release regarding Fred Pritzker's call for food safety disclosure laws.) As the use-by date for products subject to this recall may have expired, consumers can contact their retailers to ask if they received any of these products. Consumers who have these products in their freezers and suspect that someone has been sickened by them should contact our law firm toll-free at 1-888-377-8900. Learn about tests needed to determine if you are part of an E. coli outbreak.

Labels: American Foods Group Recall

We contacted the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today regarding its investigation into illnesses that may be associated with American Foods Group, LLC ground beef products. In October IDPH began an investigation of 2 cases of suspected E. coli poisoning.

IDPH tested both the sickened people and ground beef products found in the home. Kimberly Parker, IDPH Communications Manager, said that, after confirming both the people and the beef tested positive for E. coli O157:H7, IDPH alerted the USDA. Prompted by the reports of these cases of E. coli O157:H7, American Foods Group recalled about 48 tons of ground beef products.


Posted November 2007.

Labels: American Foods Group Recall