Adams Farm Slaughterhouse, LLC., an Athol, Massachusetts, establishment, is recalling approximately 2,574 pounds of beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The recall was prompted by an association between Adams Farm Slaughterhouse ground beef and a case of E. coli poisoning in the state of Massachusetts, according to the USDA-FSIS:

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) confirmed a positive ground beef sample for E. coli O157:H7, which it collected during an epidemiological investigation. Working in conjunction with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), FSIS determined that there is an association between the ground beef products and an illness in the state of Massachusetts.

The following products are subject to recall:

• 1,025-pounds of "Beef Cuts and Ground" packed for Mazzarese.
• 697-pounds of "Beef Cuts and Ground" packed for Side Hill Farm.
• 852-pounds of "Beef Cuts and Ground" packed for Sweet Water Farm.

Each package bears a label with the establishment number "EST. 5497" inside the USDA mark of inspection as well as the packaging date of "11/11/2009." The beef products were distributed to private owners on three separate farms in the state of Massachusetts.

E. coli O157:H7 infections can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), which cause life-threatening complications, including the following:

• Stroke
• Seizures
• Coma
• Thrombocytopenia
  
• Heart arythmia
• Hemolytic anemia
• Heart failure
  
• Acute and chronic renal failure (kidney failure)
• Brain Damage
  
• Severe abdominal pain
  
• Pancreatitis (can include glucose intolerance)
  
• Enlarged liver
  
• Perforated colon
  
• Hypertension
  
• Death

Pritzker Olsen law firm represents E. coli and TTP-HUS victims nationwide. To contact an E. coli lawyer, please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free), email Attorney Fred Pritzker or submit our online form for a free consultation.

Posted January 2010.

Labels: E coli lawyer

On October 26, 2009, Crocetti's Oakdale Packing Co., doing business as, South Shore Meats, Inc. in Brockton, Massachusetts recalled about 1,039 pounds of fresh ground beef patties derived from bench trim as well as mechanically tenderized beef cuts based on confirmed laboratory evidence of the presence of E. coli O157:H7 in leftover ground beef samples obtained from Camp Bournedale, a nature camp in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Suspect patties were collected and tested by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) after more than 20 school children and adults from Lincoln Middle School in Rhode Island, who had visited Camp Bournedale the week of October 13th, became ill with gastrointestinal symptoms. Read more about the Lincoln Middle School E. coli outbreak linked to Camp Bournedale.

In a recent press release, E. coli Lawyer Fred Pritzker stated:

More resources must be devoted to federal food safety. The current system is undermined by too much fragmentation of responsibility and not enough coordination between federal, state and local agencies.

One also has to wonder if microbiological testing is lax. Ground beef and other meat products should not be allowed to leave the manufacturer unless their safety is confirmed. Eating a hamburger should not be a high-risk activity.

DPH is continuing to investigate the outbreak in cooperation with the Rhode Island Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There is now laboratory evidence that the ground beef collected at the camp is the same strain of E. coli O157:H7 confirmed in two of the Lincoln Middle School students who attended Camp Bournedale.

DPH is continuing to work with United States Department of Agriculture to identify all affected beef products that will need to be recalled. To date, the following South Shore Meats Company products have been recalled:

• 10-pound boxes containing 40, 4-ounce packages of "Beef Sirloin Patties."
• 7.5-pound boxes containing 12, 10-ounce packages of "Beef Teres Major Steaks Seasoned."
• Boxes of 24, 5-ounce packages of "BEEF BUTT STEAKS, (Filet Style)."
• 9-pound boxes containing 12, 12-ounce packages of "BEEF BUTT STEAK, Center Cut, (sirloin style)."
• 9-pound boxes containing 12, 12-ounce packages of "BEEF BUTT STEAK, Center Cut, (filet style)."
• 6.75-pound boxes containing 12, 9-ounce packages of "BEEF BUTT STEAK, Center Cut, (sirloin style)."
• Boxes of 16, 10-ounce packages of "Beef Top Butt Steaks Sirloin Style."
• Boxes of 20, 8-ounce packages of "Beef Butt Steaks Club Style."
• Boxes of 26, 6-ounce packages of "Beef Top Butt Steaks Sirloin Style."
• Boxes of 12, 10-ounce packages of "BEEF BUTT STEAKS, (Filet Style)."
• 6-pound boxes containing 16, 6-ounce packages of "Beef Filet Of Sirloin, Executive Cut."
• Boxes of 12, 8-ounce packages of "BEEF BUTT STEAKS, (Filet Style)."

Each box of recalled beef bears the establishment number "EST. 6336" inside the USDA mark of inspection and may also bear a date code of "281." The beef products were produced on October 8, 2009, and were distributed to wholesale distributors and institutions in Massachusetts.

If your child has been diagnosed with E. coli O157, contact Pritzker Olsen Attorneys. Our law firm is representing people sickened by E. coli O157, including people who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). E. coli HUS is the leading cause of kidney failure in children in the United States.

Labels: beef recall, E coli kidney failure, E coli lawyer

Pritzker Olsen law firm has been retained to represent a 3 ½ year-old child sickened with E. coli poisoning and hemolytic uremic syndrome. The child is believed to have contracted the illness at a local apple orchard/ petting zoo in the Twin Cities (MN) area.

Preliminary testing indicates that the genetic fingerprint of the E .coli O157:H7 obtained from the child’s stool sample matches the genetic fingerprint of E. coli from llama feces tested at the petting zoo.

Fred Pritzker, a leading E. coli litigation attorney, is representing the child in this outbreak. “It does not appear the operator of this facility took the necessary precautions to prevent this child’s severe injuries."

There may be other victims from this outbreak. Unconfirmed reports indicate that an older person may also have developed E .coli O157:H7 poisoning and hemolytic uremic syndrome after visiting the same apple orchard/petting zoo in the Twin Cities area.

For a free consultation about an E. coli-HUS lawsuit, please call (612)338-0202 or 800-377-8900 (toll free), email Attorney Fred Pritzker, or submit our online consultation form.

Labels: E coli kidney failure, E coli lawyer, lawyers

Culebra Meat Market has recalled about 4000 pounds of beef products it produced and distributed in the San Antonio area because of possible contamination with E. coli O157:H7. The Texas Department of State Health Services laboratory testing detected E. coli O157:H7 in samples collected from the meat company.

Products included in the recall are beef stew meat, carne asada and ground beef produced by the company from Oct. 2 through Oct. 17, 2009. Products were sold to some San Antonio-area restaurants and in the company’s retail store, 2800 Culebra Road in San Antonio.

The Texas Department of State Health Services is investigating whether the products also were sold at other Culebra retail store locations in San Antonio.

Products sold to consumers at the company’s retail store were packaged in various weights and wrapped in white butcher paper with no markings. Products sold to restaurants were packed in 10-pound boxes labeled with the company and product names and lot codes 100209 through 101709. The boxes have the inspection label “TEXAS INSP. & PSD. 740” located inside an outline of the state of Texas.

The Texas Department of State Health Services is not aware of any illnesses associated with the recalled product.

Symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 illness include bloody diarrhea and stomach pains. People with these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately. Symptoms typically occur two to nine days after exposure.

Infection can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can cause E. coli kidney failure or death.

For a free consultation with an E. coli lawyer about an E. coli lawsuit, please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit our online consultation form.

Labels: beef, beef investigation, beef recall, E coli lawyer

Beef recall alert for consumers throughout the United States, and particularly in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin, where at least 18 cases of E. coli O157 may be associated with consuming JBS Swift beef products.

In response to this E. coli outbreak, JBS Swift Beef Company, a Greeley, Colorado establishment, has recalled approximately 380,000 pounds of beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. This June 28, 2009 recall is an expansion of a June 24 recall of 41,280 pounds of JBS Swift beef products.

If you or a loved one is part of this outbreak, your state department may have advised you to contact a lawyer. Our law firm has a national reputation in the area of E. coli litigation. Please contact our lawyers for a free consultation. We do not get paid unless you win.

Anyone experiencing bloody diarrhea should suspect an E. coli infection and seek medical attention immediately. You should request an E. coli O157:H7 test. This is critical for preserving your legal rights. Contact our lawyers if you have any questions.

The recalled JBS Swift Beef products were produced on April 21, 2009 and were distributed both nationally and internationally. The June 24 JBS Swift Beef recall announcement involved beef distributed to Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin.

Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection as well as the identifying package date of "042109" and a time stamp ranging from "0618" to "1130." However, these products were sent to establishments and retail stores nationwide for further processing and will likely not bear the establishment number "EST. 969" on products available for direct consumer purchase. Customers with concerns should contact their point of purchase.

The recalled products include intact cuts of beef, such as primals, sub-primals, or boxed beef typically used for steaks and roasts rather than ground beef. FSIS is aware that some of these products may have been further processed into ground products by other companies. The highest risk products for consumers are raw ground product, trim or other non-intact product made from the products subject to the recall.

CONTACT OUR LAWYERS ABOUT E. COLI VICTIM COMPENSATION >>

Pritzker Olsen Attorneys is one of the most experienced and trusted food safety law firm in the United States and has represented foodborne illness survivors in virtually every major E. coli O157:H7 outbreak.

Labels: E coli lawyer

The Toll House cookie dough recall involves the risk of serious illness and death. The FDA is warning consumers not to eat recalled Toll House cookie dough. If you suspect that someone has been sickened by Toll House cookie dough in your possession, do not throw it away. It will be valuable evidence in a Toll House lawsuit. Contact our law firm immediately for information on protecting your legal rights: 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit our free consultation form.

Nestle Toll House Cookie Dough Recall Information

Nestle USA's Baking Division is initiating a voluntary recall of Nestle Toll House refrigerated cookie dough products because of possible contamination of E. coli O157:H7. (See list of recalled products below.) The FDA, CDC and state health investigators are reporting that at least 66 people in 28 states have likely fallen ill from contaminated Toll House cookie dough.

CONTACT PRITZKER OLSEN ATTORNEYS ABOUT E. COLI VICTIM COMPENSATION AND WRONGFUL DEATH COMPENSATION FOR FAMILIES >>

If you think you are part of this outbreak:

1) Keep all receipts, used packaging, or unused packaging of any Toll House cookie dough products you may have;

2) DO NOT eat any leftover Toll House cookie dough products;

3) If you are currently suffering from cramping and diarrhea, and have recently eaten or may have come into contact with Toll House cookie dough, go to the doctor for treatment and request a test for E. coli O157:H7. Contact our law firm.

It is critical that your doctor get a stool sample and have it tested for E. coli O157:H7. If positive, the E. coli O157:H7 must be tested again to see if the specific strain of the bacteria matches the outbreak strain. This is the best way to prove you are part of this outbreak. All information should be shared with your state department of health. Please contact one of our experienced attorneys for more information.

If you are contacted by any health department official, cooperate with them fully, they are trying to help solve this outbreak.

Contact Pritzker Olsen Attorneys to discuss your potential case: 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit our free consultation form. Pritzker Olsen attorneys are nationally known in the area of food safety litigation and represent victims of foodborne outbreaks across America.

Recalled Toll House Products

                                                          Consumer
                    Description                         Unit Code (UPC)
        Nestle Toll House Cookie & Brownie Dough
COOKIE & BROWNIE DOUGH BAR
Chocolate Chip bar 16.5oz                                 0 50000 62231 3
Chocolate Chip bar 16.5oz                                 0 50000 11308 8
Chocolate Chunk bar 16.5oz                                0 50000 62235 1
Walnut Chocolate Chip bar 16.5oz                          0 50000 62233 7
Jumbo Chocolate Chip bar 16.5oz                           0 50000 62237 5
Oatmeal Raisin bar 16.5oz                                 0 50000 06219 5
Sugar Cookies bar 16.5oz                                  0 50000 62244 3
Sugar Cookies bar 16.5oz                                  0 50000 12178 6
Mini Chocolate Chip bar 16.5oz                            0 50000 62242 9
Mini Chocolate Chip bar 16.5oz                            0 50000 12188 5
Mini Brownie Bites bar 16oz                               0 50000 62227 6
Fudgy Brownie With Peanut Butter Filling 19oz             0 50000 00820 9

COOKIE DOUGH TUB
Chocolate Chip tub 40oz                                   0 50000 62246 7
Chocolate Chip tub 80oz (5 lb)                            0 50000 00934 3
Sugar tub 40oz.                                           0 50000 62253 5
Gingerbread tub 40oz                                      0 50000 44060 3
Peanut Butter tub 40oz                                    0 50000 44062 7

TUBE (CHUB) DOUGH
Chocolate Chip tube 16.5oz                                0 50000 62239 9
Chocolate Chip tube 32oz                                  0 50000 00400 3

ULTIMATES COOKIE BAR DOUGH
Ultimates Peanut Butter Cups, Chips & Chocolate
Chunks bar 16oz                                          0 50000 00922 0
Ultimates White Chip Macadamia Nut bar 16oz               0 50000 00923 7
Ultimates Chocolate Chip & Chunks with Pecans bar 16oz    0 50000 00925 1
Ultimates Chocolate Chip Lovers 16oz                      0 50000 00926 8
Ultimates Turtles bar 16oz                                0 50000 00928 2
Ultimates Peanut Butter Lovers bar 16oz                   0 50000 00507 9
Ultimates Chocolate Chip with Caramel Filling bar 16oz    0 50000 44066 5
Ultimates Chocolate Chip with Chocolate Filling bar 16oz  0 50000 44069 6

SEASONAL COOKIE & BROWNIE DOUGH
Valentine Hearts Sugar Cookie Shapes 15.5oz               0 50000 12009 3
Valentine Swirled Chocolate Chip bar 16oz                 0 50000 00931 2
Fudgy Brownies With Raspberry Filling 19oz                0 50000 20090 0
Easter Eggs Sugar Cookie Shapes 15.5oz                    0 50000 52009 1
Easter Swirled Chocolate Chip bar 16oz                    0 50000 00932 9
Easter Swirled Mini Brownie Bites bar 18 oz               0 50000 20093 1
Red, White & Blue Swirled Choc Chip bar 16oz              0 50000 00937 4
Halloween Pumpkin Pals Sugar Cookies 13.5oz               0 50000 06217 1
Halloween Swirled Chocolate Chip bar 16oz                 0 50000 00929 9
Halloween Swirled Fudgy Brownies bar 18oz                 0 50000 00088 3
Christmas Shapes Sugar Cookies 15.5oz                     0 50000 00505 5
Christmas Swirled Chocolate Chip bar 16oz                 0 50000 00930 5
Christmas Swirled Fudgy Brownies bar 18oz                 0 50000 00089 0
Limited Edition Mint Swirled Chocolate Chip 16oz          0 50000 00827 8

Discontinued Varieties
Valentine Hearts Sugar Cookies 13.5oz                     0 50000 44056 6
Easter Brownie Bar 18oz                                   0 50000 00518 5
Easter Bunnies Sugar Cookies 13.5oz                       0 50000 44058 0
Halloween Sugar Shapes 15.5oz                             0 50000 00829 2
Christmas Sugar Cookie Tube 16oz                          0 50000 00448 5
Oatmeal Cranberry Cookie Tub 48 oz.                       0 50000 62229 0

Labels: cookie dough recall, E coli lawyer, Toll House recall

Seventy-five pounds of fresh beef trim that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 has been recalled by its producer, Snow Creek Meat Processing of Seneca, South Carolina.

According to the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), these fresh beef trim products were produced on June 2, 2009, and were distributed to retail establishments for further processing in North Carolina and South Carolina. The problem was discovered through FSIS microbiological sampling.

FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact a physician and call a food safety lawyer if an E. coli O157:H7 infection is confirmed.

National food poisoning law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., currently represents victims of E. coli O157:H7 from recent outbreaks. The firm is involved in practically every major outbreak of foodborne illness and has collected millions for victims. To contact an E. coli lawyer at PritzkerOlsen, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete one of our forms for a free case consultation.

The Snow Creek recall pertains to various sizes of cryovac bags of beef trimmings stamped with USDA Establishment No. 20478 and a "sell-by'' date of 6/02/09.

Labels: beef recall, E coli lawyer

An E. coli O157:H7 outbreak associated with ground beef has sickened 3 people and may have killed a seven-year-old girl in Cleveland, Ohio. People in Illinois and Pennsylvania were also sickened in this outbreak.

According to the Ohio Department of Health, the three people sickened in Cleveland were a 3-year-old girl, a 24-year-old man and a 71-year-old man. Two were hospitalized. Health officials did not reveal the name of the girl who died or whether she had developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a deadly complication of E. coli poisoning.

Epidemiological evidence has linked this E. coli outbreak in Cleveland with ground beef products produced by Valley Meats LLC of Coal Valley, Illinois. On March 21, 2009, Valley Meats recalled almost 96,000 pounds of frozen patties and refrigerated ground beef produced on March 10. The recalled meat was sold to restaurants and food service accounts.

Two restaurants are part of the investigation in Cleveland, and people would like to know which restaurants they are. We received a comment on our food poisoning blog from a woman who knows the seven-year-old who died:

The 7 yr old that died attended my daughters school. Of course they did not release the information surrounding her death. My concern is as follows, the lunches at the elementary school are catered by a local restaurant. Since the names of the restaurants being investigated are not being released I fear there is a possibility it could be the one supplying lunches to the school. It is inconceivable that not only would the school but also the health department put more children at risk by not disclosing such important information

We agree that the names of the restaurants should be disclosed. If these restaurants had followed USDA guidelines for cooking the ground beef, it is likely no one would have become sick because E. coli can be killed with heat. Consumers should know that these restaurants served under-cooked ground beef. Moreover, E. coli can have a long incubation period. There may be people who ate contaminated ground beef at the restaurant and need to watch for symptoms of E. coli poisoning.

Victims of this outbreak and their families may seek compensation from Valley Meats LLC, the restaurants where they ate the contaminated ground beef, and others.

If you have been sickened by E. coli or lost a loved one to E. coli, please contact our law firm for a free consultation with an attorney by calling 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or completing our free case consultation form. We have represented E. coli victims from most major outbreaks and are currently representing the family of a person who died in Ohio from Salmonella poisoning.

Labels: E coli lawyer valley meats

Our law firm actively investigates most E. coli outbreaks in the United States, fighting for victim compensation. One of the issues we run into is testing for E. coli O157:H7 long after onset of symptoms. Patients often experience renal failure (E. coli kidney failure) before a stool sample has been tested for E. coli. By that time, any E. coli may have cleared from the body, making a positive test for E. coli impossible.

It is critical to an E. coli case to get a positive test for E. coli O157:H7 and then to further test the sample of E. coli to obtain a genetic fingerprint of the bacteria that can be matched to other victims and food sources.

Below is a description of a complex process taken to obtain a positive test for E. coli O157:H7 on a stool sample taken on day 30 of illness--an unusually long time for E. coli bacteria to remain in the body. The patient was a 40-year-old male who presented with several days of abdominal cramps, vomiting, and loose stool with interspersed blood. The patient’s medical condition continued to deteriorate, and he experienced renal failure. On day 9 of his hospitalization, he commenced hemodialysis and plasmapherisis. The working diagnosis was thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Several days later, doctors suspected that the patient had developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is generally caused by an E. coli O157:H7 infection. By the time doctors reached this determination, finding E. coli in the stools was questionable, but persistence resulted in a positive test:

On the day the fecal sample was referred to our laboratory, it was screened for the presence of preformed Shiga toxin by the Vero cell cytotoxicity assay (4, 11). In addition, an investigational 10-min chromatographic immunoassay for Stx1 or Stx2 detection was performed. This handheld Shiga toxin detection (HHSTD) system, manufactured at the Naval Medical Research Center (Silver Spring, Md.), incorporates rabbit polyclonal anti-Stx1 or anti-Stx2 antibody immobilized on filter paper to capture Stx-Stx1 or Stx2 and Stx2 toxin variants, respectively, as they migrate across the membrane in sample buffer. Colloidal-gold-labeled toxin-specific monoclonal antibodies (described elsewhere [10, 12]) were also used to impregnate the filter paper but not immobilized. The monoclonal antibodies bind the antigen, if it is present, and form a visible band where the capture antibodies are fixed to the filter paper. We tested the sensitivity of the kits with purified toxin and stool specimens seeded with known numbers of toxin-producing organisms.

The level of detection was 3 to 6 ng of toxin (for Stx2 and Stx1, respectively) or approximately 107 CFU of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). The Stx2 kit was less sensitive for the Stx2 variant Stx2c or Stx2d and detected 20 ng of toxin or 108 CFU. The kits were specific for toxin type and showed no cross-reactivity between Stx1 or Stx2 and its variants or with negative human stool components in our trials.

The results of the HHSTD immunoassays and the conventional cytotoxicity assay of the primary stool sample were negative. However, we reasoned that very low numbers of STEC bacteria would be shed at this late point after disease onset. We also suspected that if O157:H7 organisms were present, their appearance would be masked by the predominant normal flora seen when stool is plated directly onto sorbitol MacConkey (SMAC) agar (3). Similarly, toxin production would be below detectable levels. Two approaches were used to enhance STEC recovery and increase toxin detection.

First, in order to observe greater numbers of organisms in the stool, we suspended approximately 1 ml of sample in 10 ml of brain heart infusion broth (Remel, Lenexa, Kans.) and incubated the mixture overnight at room temperature to slow the growth of normal fecal flora, as is done when culturing Yersinia enterocolitica. The enrichment broth was diluted in serial 10-fold increments on the next day, and 100 _l of each dilution was spread plated onto Difco Luria-Bertani (LB) agar and SMAC agar (Becton Dickinson, Sparks, Md.) and incubated overnight. Clearly discernible individual sorbitol-negative and –positive colonies were seen in the 10_6 and 10_7 dilutions plated on SMAC agar.

Sweeps of growth from the corresponding dilutions of overnight broth plated on LB agar were collected with a sterile cotton swab and mixed in 1 ml of the HHSTD kit buffer, and 300 _l was tested for toxin (isolates from SMAC agar were not used owing to the concern that false-positive reactions in the HHSTD kit might occur because of carryover of neutral red from the MacConkey base).

The HHSTD kit gave positive reactions for Stx1 and Stx2 on the mixed bacterial sweeps, which prompted us then to screen the sorbitol-positive and -negative colonies on SMAC agar for toxin production. A Shiga toxin gene probe was used to identify individual toxin-producing organisms by colony blot hybridization. One hundred fifty colonies of both the sorbitol-positive and –negative phenotypes were transferred with sterile toothpicks onto three LB agar plates (50 colonies each) in a grid pattern. The colonies were blotted onto nitrocellulose membranes after overnight incubation.

The membrane-bound colonies were lysed, and the DNA was denatured by saturation with 0.5 N NaOH. The nitrocellulose membranes were then dried at 80°C in a vacuum oven overnight and probed with PCR-amplified DNA of the Stx2-encoding gene (14). The colony blots were screened for hybridization with the Enhanced Chemiluminescence nucleic acid detection kit (Amersham Life Science, Buckinghamshire, England) in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

The sorbitol-negative phenotype correlated 100% with hybridization to the Stx2 gene probe. The sorbitol-negative colonies were identified as E. coli with an API 20E strip (BioMe´rieux, Durham, N.C.), and the serotype was determined by agglutination with O157 and H7 antisera (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Ga.). Clarified overnight culture lysates of the E. coli O157:H7 isolate (designated WR30) produced 106 50% cytotoxic doses/ml by Vero cell assay and were positive for both Stx1 and Stx2 when tested with the HHSTD kit.

At the same time that the broth enrichment stool culture was inoculated, a second broth culture was prepared to enhance toxin expression by induction of lysogenic toxin-converting bacteriophages. One milliliter of the fecal sample was diluted in 10 ml of brain heart infusion broth to which 5 _l of mitomycin C (Sigma, St. Louis, Mo.), an alkylating agent known to induce the lytic cycle of lambdoid phages, was added (1, 6). After overnight incubation at 37°C with shaking, the broth culture supernatant was tested for Shiga toxin with the investigational test kit. A weak positive reaction for Stx2 was obtained, whereas a similarly prepared mitomycin-free broth culture was negative.

Source: Teel, Louise D., et. al, Shiga Toxin-Producting Escherichia coli-Associated Kidney Failure in a 40-Year_old Patient and Late Diagnosis by Novel Bacteriologic and Toxin Detection Methods, Journal of Clinican Microbiology, July 2003, Vol. 41, No. 7, p. 3438-3440.

Labels: E coli lawyer, Kidney Failure, Renal Failure

On May 12, 2009 the USDA-FSIS announced a ground beef recall. Bob's Food City, a Hot Springs, Arkansas, retailer is recalling approximately 375 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

The following ground beef products subject to recall were sold as tray packs of varying weights bearing a "Sell By" date of "05/09/09." The products subject to recall include:

• 1-pound through 5-pound tray packs of "GROUND BEEF CHUCK," "GROUND ROUND" or "REGULAR GROUND BEEF." Each pack bears a sell by date of "05/09/09." There is no USDA mark of inspection on the tray packs.
  

These ground beef products were produced on May 7, 2009, and were sold to customers of the Bob's Food City retail store located at 800 Malvern Avenue, in Hot Springs, Arkansas

The problem was discovered through FSIS sampling procedures. FSIS has received no reports of illness due to consumption of these ground beef products. This does not mean that were no illnesses due to consumption of these products. If you were sickened after eating ground beef, please contact our law firm.

Labels: E coli lawyer, ground beef recall, lawsuit

A New York company is recalling 114,540 pounds of concentrated chicken base products because they were ineligible for import to the United States from China.

In a news release today by the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service, the agency said the products distributed nationwide by Perk-up Inc., of White Plains, New York, did not meet inspection requirements and weren't exempt from inspection.

The products being recalled are:

• 5-pound pails of "PANDA BRAND CHICKEN BASE CONCENTRADO DE CALDO DE POLLO." Each container also bears the case code "2700031."
• 5-pound bags of "PANDA BRAND CHICKEN BASE CONCENTRADO DE CALDO DE POLLO." Each package also bears the case code "2700200."

The chicken base products were imported from China on various dates from May 2008 to September 2008. No illnesses have been reported in connection with the food safety recall.

Labels: E coli lawyer, food poisoning lawyer

Attorney Fred Pritzker has settled an E. coli wrongful death case linked to fresh spinach. The terms of the settlement are confidential. The case involved an elderly woman who ate spinach contaminated with E. coli. The woman was diagnosed with E. coli O157:H7 poisoning, and genetic fingerprinting tests connected her case of E. coli O157:H7 with the 2006 E. coli outbreak linked to fresh spinach.

Fred Pritzker was interviewed by a local television station regarding the case. He also wrote an editorial regarding the outbreak addressed food safety issues.

Labels: E coli kidney failure, E coli lawyer, food poisoning lawyer

The Tennessee Department of Health is leading a national outbreak investigation of E. coli O157:H7 that appears to be associated with consumption of Totino's and Jeno's brand frozen pizzas containing pepperoni topping.

A total of 21 laboratory-confirmed cases of E. coli O157:H7 have been identified and are potentially linked with this outbreak, with illness onsets ranging from mid-July through early October.

Of the eight cases reported in Tennessee, five people were hospitalized. However, all eight patients have now recovered.

Cases of illness have been reported in a total of 10 states.

"The Department of Health continues to conducts groundbreaking work that is recognized nationally," said Health Commissioner Susan R. Cooper, MSN, RN. "From emergency preparedness to disease outbreaks, the employees of the State Health Department work diligently and prepare tirelessly to be able to respond quickly to any public health emergency that threatens the wellbeing of Tennessee's residents."

As a result of the possible contamination, General Mills, the parent company of Totino's and Jeno's brand products, has issued a voluntary recall of 414,000 cases of pizza products. The company is working closely with federal officials and state health departments to identify any potential problem. Totino's and Jeno's pizzas are sold in the freezer section at grocery stores and other outlets throughout Tennessee and nationwide. The Department advises consumers not to eat any Totino's or Jeno's brand frozen pizzas containing pepperoni topping.

"An ongoing investigation by Tennessee and other state and federal public health officials has shown a strong association between several cases of recent illness and consumption of Totino's and Jeno's pizzas that contain pepperoni," said Tennessee Deputy State Epidemiologist Tim F. Jones, M.D. "The Department is working closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to identify additional information about the extent of the outbreak."

Consumers with questions about the recall should contact the company at 1-800-949-9055. Representatives also can provide information about receiving a full refund for Totino's or Jeno's pizza products. More information can also be obtained on the General Mills Web site at http://www.generalmills.com/corporate/media_center/index.aspx.

"Consumers who have any of these Totino's pizzas in their freezers should not eat them," said Jones. "Anyone who has eaten the product but did not become ill need not take any special action. People who have severe diarrhea should seek medical care, and let their doctors know if they have consumed frozen pizza within the week before they became sick."

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a common cause of foodborne illness. An estimated 73,000 cases of infection and 61 deaths occur in the United States each year. People generally become ill from E. coli O157:H7 two to eight days after being exposed to the bacteria, with an average onset of illness of three to four days after exposure. E. coli O157:H7 infection often causes severe bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Most people recover completely within five to 10 days, but some people, particularly young children and the elderly, are at increased risk for serious illness. Antibiotic therapy is not necessary for most patients, and may increase the risk of complications.

Cattle are the principal source of E. coli O157 infection; they carry E. coli O157 in their intestines. Though most illness caused by E. coli O157 has been associated with eating undercooked, contaminated ground beef, people have also become ill from eating contaminated bean sprouts, fresh leafy vegetables such as lettuce and spinach, and other foods. E. coli in food can be killed by thorough cooking, but the bacteria can survive undercooking or uneven cooking, as may happen in some microwave ovens. Consumers are reminded to thoroughly cook all products that are not ready-to-eat, such as frozen pizzas, according to package instructions.

For more information on the product recall, visit the Department of Health Web site at http://health.state.tn.us/ or the U.S. Department of Agriculture Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_049_2007_Release/index.asp. To learn more about E. coli infection and how to prevent it, visit http://health.state.tn.us/FactSheets/ecoli.htm.

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