A Colorado outbreak of a drug-resistant strain of Salmonella Newport has been associated with ground beef processed by Beef Packers, Inc., owned by Cargill. Read about the Cargill connection and a Cargill lawsuit.

The Colorado Salmonella outbreak has prompted Beef Packers to issue a recall of about 825,769 pounds of ground beef products.

The Beef Packers/Cargill recall involves ground beef products were produced on various dates ranging from June 5, 2009 through June 23, 2009. They were distributed to retail distribution centers in Arizona, California, Colorado and Utah.

Please be aware that the recalled ground beef was repackaged into consumer-size packages and sold under different retail brand names. TO FIND OUT IF GROUND BEEF YOU HAVE IN THE FREEZER IS THE RECALLED BEEF, CALL THE RETAILER. Our law firm is advocating for more retailer information to be provided to consumers when there is a recall, and there has been progress. More needs to be done.

To contact our Salmonella litigation law firm, please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit our free consultation form.

Labels: Colorado, food safety lawyer, lawsuit

National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen is representing Shirley Jane Schultz, one of the victims of a multistate Salmonella outbreak that has been linked to white pepper manufactured by Union International Food Company, according to news reports.

Ms. Schultz, a 77-year-old from Nevada, was severely sickened and spent over a week in the hospital. Loved ones feared she would not survive when her kidneys temporarily shut down. She continues to suffer the effects of the illness.

“While we are still gathering information about what caused the spices made by Union International Food Company to become contaminated with Salmonella, our client’s illness just highlights the ongoing problems in our food safety system,” stated Eric Hageman, Ms. Schultz’s attorney. “People shouldn’t have to guess whether the food they are eating is safe. We should all feel that our food is safe. But that didn’t happen here and, as a result, Shirley Shultz ended up in the hospital. And someone needs to be held accountable.”

Union International Food issued the first spice and pepper recall on March 30, 2009. The recall included Lian How white pepper. Ms. Schultz was diagnosed with Salmonella poisoning on April 9, 2009.

Prior to the March 30 recall, Salmonella was isolated from an open container of Lian How White Pepper, which was found at a restaurant where some outbreak victims ate. Since March 30, additional Union International Food Company products have been recalled due to possible Salmonella contamination. The entire recalled products list is available on the FDA’s website.

Pritzker Olsen has considerable experience and a reputation for success in representing Salmonella outbreak victims and their families. The firm has been involved in virtually every national foodborne illness 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 Olsen attorneys 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.

If you have been sickened in this Salmonella outbreak linked to pepper, please contact Pritzker Olsen law firm: 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit our free consultation form.

Salmonella Outbreak Pepper Posted May 2009.

Labels: lawsuit, lawyers, pepper recall, salmonella outbreak

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 ground beef recall usually means one of the following:

• The USDA-FSIS has tested a sample of the ground beef and found E. coli contamination
• A processor or distributor of ground beef has tested a sample of ground beef and found E. coli contamination
• Health officials have received reports of illness that may be associated with the ground beef
  

Because ground beef is usually processed in huge quantities, ground beef recalls involve hundreds or thousands of pounds. Some recent recalls have involved millions of pounds.

E. coli contamination is preventable with good sanitation measures. Contaminated ground beef should never be distributed, but it is because there is not adequate testing and some companies disregard a positive test and distribute the ground beef anyway.

The bottom line is that serious injury and death from E. coli-contaminated ground is preventable, but certain companies are more interested in profits than people.

Suing the Bad Guys

Our attorneys are in the business of suing the bad guys who are responsible for serious injury and death resulting from the consumption of E. coli-contaminated ground beef. We also fight for changes in policy and law that will help prevent E. coli outbreaks.

We have recovered millions for E. coli victims and their families.

In each case, we establish a causal link between the illness and the ground beef with both epidemiological and microbiological evidence. This process may reveal a number of parties that can be sued for compensation. Even when a ground beef recall is involved, numerous parties in addition to the party initiating the recall may be liable.

Our attorneys take the time to thoroughly interview the victim and his or her family to determine how much compensation to seek. To do this, we fly all over the country. In a recent case, Attorney Fred Pritzker spent two days in an intensive care unit with an E. coli victim and her family. The E. coli victim had developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and was close to death. Fred got to know the family well and better understood what our client meant to them and the community. This personal approach makes us better attorneys and provides families with a measure of peace because they feel like they can trust us.

Compensation for E. coli victims and their families may include the following:

• Medical expenses
• Cost of care
• Loss of income
• Pain and suffering
  

Pain and suffering in an E. coli case may include physical pain, emotional distress and disability. Contact our lawyers for a free consultation.

Labels: beef recall, ground beef recall, lawsuit

JENO’S AND TOTINO’S LAWSUIT AND LAWYER: Below is a CDC update of the Jeno’s and Totino’s Pizza E. coli outbreak. Pritzker | Olsen, a leading E. coli law firm, is providing this information as a public service. Pritzker | Olsen is investigating the E. coli outbreak linked to Jeno's / Totino's pizza, products of General Mills. For a free consultation regarding a Jeno's / Totino's lawsuit (General Mills will be a plaintiff), contact Pritzker | Olsen toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm's online consultation form on the right for review by an E. coli lawyer at the firm.

CDC Update Regarding the Jeno’s and Totino’s Pizza E. coli Outbreak: Investigation of Outbreak of Human Infections Caused by E. coli O157:H7

The Tennessee State Department of Health and CDC are collaborating with public health officials in multiple states and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) to investigate an ongoing multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections in humans. A study comparing foods eaten by ill persons to foods eaten by well persons showed that eating frozen pizza that contained pepperoni and was produced by the General Mills company under the brand names of Totino's or Jeno's was the likely source of the illness. [This epidemiological evidence will be important in a Jeno’s / Totino’s lawsuit.]

As of November 1st, at least 21 isolates of E. coli O157:H7 with an indistinguishable genetic fingerprint have been collected from ill persons in 10 states: Illinois (1 person), Kentucky (3), Missouri (2), New York (2), Ohio (1), Pennsylvania (1), South Dakota (1), Tennessee (8), Virginia (1), and Wisconsin (1). [Each E. coli outbreak involves a genetically-unique E. coli O157:H7 strain; therefore, anyone sickened by an outbreak-strain of E. coli O157:H7 is part of the outbreak. Genetic fingerprint patterns will play an important role in a Jeno’s / Totino’s lawsuit.]

Persons became ill between July 20, 2007, and October 10, 2007. The age of ill persons ranges from 1 to 65 years with a median age of 9; 53% of ill persons are female. At least 8 people have been hospitalized, and 4 have developed a type of kidney failure known as hemolytic-uremic syndrome, or HUS. No deaths have been reported.

The Tennessee State Department of Health, working with CDC and health officials in several other states, coordinated a study to identify the source of these infections. Eating a Totino's or Jeno's brand frozen pizza containing pepperoni was significantly associated with illness. The source of contamination of the pizzas is not known at this time. Company officials are working closely with CDC, USDA-FSIS, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and state health and agricultural departments to identify the source of the contamination. General Mills has ceased shipment of all frozen pizza products that contain pepperoni and has announced a voluntary recall. Read about the Jeno's and Totino's pizza recall.

Consumers should not eat recalled Totino's or Jeno's brand frozen pizzas that contain pepperoni as a topping. Anyone who has eaten the product but did not become ill need not take any special action. People who are ill with diarrhea within a week of consuming this type of frozen pizza should seek medical care and let their doctor know about the exposure.

If you or your child is diagnosed with E. coli O157:H7 after eating a Jeno’s or Totino’s pizza, an E. coli lawyer at our firm is available for a free consultation regarding a Jeno’s / Totino’s lawsuit. We are one of the few law firms in the country that practices extensively in the area of E. coli litigation. This experience translates into the ability to come to the negotiating knowing what an E. coli case is worth. Contact us.

Labels: CDC, lawsuit, pizza