FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Fred Pritzker 1-888-3777-8900 (toll-free)

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – February 6, 2009 – Eating contaminated food is still far and away the most common way for people to become infected with E. coli O157:H7, a deadly pathogen that sickens more than 70,000 Americans each year.

But national food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen Attorneys is reminding families early in 2009 that contact with animals at livestock shows, petting zoos and other exhibits is another proven way for the organism to travel.

The law firm's warning stems from a current E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Colorado. Health officials there are investigating an apparent connection between a growing number of genetically matched infections and attendance at the recent Western National Stock Show in Denver.

According to numerous press reports, at least 20 people who live on the Front Range in Colorado have been infected with the same strain of E. coli. Sixteen of the illnesses are in children who attended the animal exhibit, including a child who is 17 months old. The two-week show drew more than 643,000 attendees before it ended January 25 and health officials expect the number of E. coli O157:H7 infections in the current outbreak to grow.

"This outbreak should not have happened and could have been prevented,'' said Fred Pritzker, founder and president of PritzkerOlsen. "When stock shows encourage or permit public contact with animals, there is a well known risk of E. coli O157:H7 infection and equally well known measures that should be in place to prevent such infections.''

Pritzker said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, Inc. (NASPHV) published a compendium of such infection prevention measures almost four years ago.

"Although the matter is still under investigation, it seems likely that rules of this sort were not implemented or followed,'' he said.

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a rare variety of E. coli that produces a toxin that causes severe damage to the lining of the intestine. Specifically, the acute disease caused by E. coli O157:H7 is hemorrhagic colitis. E. coli O157:H7 can also result in hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), the leading cause of kidney failure in children in the United States.

With the understanding that children are more at risk for being seriously injured or killed by E. coli O157:H7 infection, it is imperative for families and school groups to take precautions while attending petting zoos, livestock shows and other animal exhibits.

Based on guidelines set by the (CDC) and the National Ag Safety Database, PritzkerOlsen presents the following strategies to reduce the risk of E. coli transmission in settings with animals:

• Locate hand-washing stations and always wash your hands after being in an area with animals, even if you don't touch them. Bacteria can be spread by shaking hands, touching railings or coming in contact with soil.
• Running water and soap are best for hand washing. Where there is no running water, hand sanitizing gel is better than nothing.
• Don't consume food or drinks in any area shared with animals.
• Older adults, pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems and young children should be extra careful.
• Avoid hand-mouth activities such as smoking, drinking or nail biting in any area shared with animals.
• Do not eat or drink raw (unpasteurized) milk or other dairy products.
• Children younger than 5 years old need adult supervision around animals.
• Never allow children to put their hands, toys, pacifiers or other objects in their mouths while around animals.
• Supervise the hand washing of children.
• Even after hand washing, be aware that exposure to E. coli O157:H7 can come from shoes, contaminated clothing or even strollers that were in areas shared with animals.

PritzkerOlsen currently is representing victims of the nationwide Salmonella outbreak linked to peanut butter and peanut products made by Peanut Corporation of America at a plant in Blakely, Georgia. The Minneapolis-based firm is representing the families of two Minnesota women who died in the outbreak after consuming contaminated peanut butter served on toast.

In one case, Pritzker already has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Peanut Corporation of America and King Nut Companies, a peanut butter distributor.

PritzkerOlsen has considerable experience and a reputation for success in representing survivors of foodborne illnesses, including E. coli, Listeria, Salmonella and Shigella. The firm is involved in virtually every national outbreak and has collected large sums on behalf of people injured or killed by adulterated food.

In addition, the firm is devoted to educating the public about food safety issues and advocating for badly needed food safety legislation and increased funding for the federal, state and local agencies charged with protecting our food and enforcing food safety laws.

Pritzker and members of his firm are frequent guests and commentators about food safety issues and have been interviewed by and profiled in a number of media sources including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Associated Press and CNN.

For more information, visit http://www.pritzkerlaw.com or contact Fred Pritzker at 1-888-377-8900 (toll-free). PritzkerOlsen has offices are located at Plaza VII, Suite 2950, 45 South Seventh Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402

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Labels: Cattle E coli, Colorado E coli, Denver E coli

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has announced the voluntary recall of more than 140 million pounds of raw and frozen beef from the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co. of Chino, California. The recall comes as a response to allegations of Westland inhumanely treating cattle and failing to have cattle inspected thoroughly and correctly.

The allegations stem from over two years of Westland failing to have FSIS public health veterinarians inspect cattle that became non-ambulatory after ante-mortem inspection. This is in direct conflict with the FSIS rule of “Prohibition of the Use of Specified Risk Materials for Human Food and Requirements for the Disposition of Non-Ambulatory Disabled Cattle” which was issued in July 2007.

According to the FSIS recall statement:

Some of the Westland Meat Co. branded products were purchased for Federal food and nutrition programs and, since Jan. 30, 2008, USDA has had an administrative hold on all products from Westland Meat Co. in all of these outlets including, in the National School Lunch Program, the Emergency Food Assistance Program and the Food Assistance Program on Indian Reservations. Based on this Class II recall, officials of the Food and Nutrition Service and Agricultural Marketing Service will work closely with State food and nutrition officials to minimize any disruptions caused by the removal and disposal of recalled Westland Meat Co. products.

Westland shut down operations on February 1 and FSIS issued a Notice of Suspension three days later after investigating the plant after receiving allegations of violations. The practices at Westland directly violated the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act.

According to a Q&A release from the FSIS:

The Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company must first respond to the Notice of Suspension and submit a corrective action plan to address its failure to properly implement the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act and FSIS regulations. FSIS must first verify that the plan they submit fully and completely addresses the findings in the Notice of Suspension to ensure the humane handling and slaughter of animals at the facility.

FSIS is continuing to investigate the plant and the company has yet to take any actions to prevent future violations. The USDA has also expressed intent to reimburse state governments for Westland products received from federal food programs. The USDA is also ending contractual agreements with Westland and will be looking to replace all products that are removed from the food supply. Any of the recalled Westland products must be destroyed according to government guidelines.

Concern over the recalled beef products centers around risks of spreading Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) into the nation’s food supply. However, according to FSIS, the risk of BSE in the Westland meat is:

Negligible. The federal government has an interlocking system of controls to protect the food supply and to prevent animals with signs of central nervous system disorders from entering the food chain. All cattle at the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company passed ante-mortem inspection before slaughter.

FSIS also maintains that the health risk is negligible to children who may have consumed Westland products through the School Lunch Program. Westland products were also distributed to African nations such as the Ivory Coast and Angola. The USDA does not believe international trade will be affected due to strict standards that are more thorough than those advised by the World Organization for Animal Health.

A list of specific products being recalled can be found at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Recall_005-2008_Release.pdf

Contact information about which schools received Westland products can be found at:
http://www.usda.gov/actions

Labels: Cattle E coli, food safety

YONKERS, N.Y. – Stew Leonard’s Yonkers store is voluntarily recalling 96% Lean Ground Round because of possible contamination with Escherichia coli 0157:H7 bacteria. No other Stew Leonard’s location is affected by this recall.

The package of ground beef in question was purchased on July 21, 2007, but out of an abundance of caution, the company is recalling all Stew Leonard’s 96% Lean Ground Round that was purchased between June 30, 2007 and August 1, 2007. Customers who purchased this specific product during this time period from the Stew Leonard’s Yonkers store location, and who have frozen it for later use, should return it to the store for a full refund. Learn More

Labels: Cattle E coli, ground beef food poisoning, ground beef recall