At least 80 people have become ill and 12 required intensive care treatment at hospitals after a food poisoning outbreak at a San Jose Mexican seafood restaurant.
According to a report in the San Jose Mercury News, the customers contracted Shigella, an easily transmittable bacterium.
Health officials in Santa Clara County fear that more than 100 others can become infected Continue reading →
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended production at Sunland, Inc. after several batches of the manufacturer’s peanut butter were linked to a widespread salmonella outbreak leading to a nationwide recall of Sunland nut products. According to a news report in the Christian Science Monitor, this is the first time FDA officials have used the authority granted them by the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2010. Two years ago, President Obama signed a bill into law giving the federal agency the power to shut down food producers over public health issues.
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A Los Angeles-based company is recalling its seafood salad products over food poisoning concerns. According to an Associated Press news report, Frankly Fresh Inc. has voluntarily recalled these products packed under its label because they could be contaminated with listeria, which is a type of deadly bacteria. The products involved in this recall come in a variety of sizes in plastic containers and were made between March 19 and April 23. The salads were distributed through retail supermarket stores in California and Nevada. Company officials say that the contamination was discovered during a routine sampling and testing program conducted by the Food and Drug Administration. So far, no illnesses have been reported.
Food Poisoning Statistics
According to the Department of Health and Human Services’ statistics, each year, 5,000 people die due to food poisoning. It is even more disturbing to note that the number of safety inspections has fallen sharply in recent years. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration inspects fewer than 25 percent of food production facilities each year. Also, nearly 75 percent of all food facilities have gone five or more years without an FDA inspection. Inspections are even more rare or non-existent when it comes to foreign food producers.
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A Fort Wayne, Texas, woman has filed a lawsuit against ConAgra Foods, claiming that she fell ill with a salmonella infection after eating their peanut butter. The 76-year-old woman, Mildred Turner, said in her lawsuit that she bought the tainted Peter Pan peanut butter in November 2006, the same batch of peanut butter that had sickened at least 625 people in 47 states, including California. Our source for this blog is a news report in The Journal Gazette.
Nebraska-based ConAgra recalled all of its Peter Pan and Wal-Mart Great Value brands of peanut butter in February 2007. These products were packaged at ConAgra’s Georgia plant. The peanut butter was contaminated with salmonella bacteria, which was later linked to moisture caused by a leaky roof at the plant. Turner experienced all of the symptoms of salmonella poisoning such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, fever, abdominal pain and dehydration, according to court documents. Turner’s case is also an example of how salmonella poisoning could have a potentially deadly effect on the elderly. She nearly died during her two-month stay in a hospital, her lawsuit claims.
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Two elementary school girls – ages 7 and 9 – in Carmel Creek, San Diego, have been sickened with an E. Coli infection, San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency officials said. According to this news report, the girls have been hospitalized, but are expected to recover. Officials are still trying to determine the source of the E. Coli bacteria. Carmel Creek School, where the girls attended, notified parents about the infection on October 29, 2008 as a precaution.
The school’s principal says the school was certainly not a source, but Health and Human Services officials have not confirmed that yet. E. Coli can come from a number of sources including lettuce, raw milk, unpasteurized apple cider, hamburgers that are not cooked properly or from petting zoos or animal exhibits, according to county health officials.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control information states that the most common symptoms of E. Coli infections include stomach cramps and diarrhea. In rare cases, there have been fatalities, but usually an E. Coli infection lasts about a week. These infections mostly affect young children, the elderly or those with weak immune systems. Others in the area who have been affected by an E. Coli infection are asked to report it right away to the County of San Diego Health and Human Services at 619-515-6620.
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An appellate court has upheld a $3.2 million jury verdict awarded to 25-year-old Alexis Sarti of Costa Mesa, who suffered permanent nerve damage after eating bacteria-contaminated raw tuna at the Salt Creek Grille in Dana Point. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the food poisoning occurred on April 7, 2005. Sarti spent 45 days in the hospital because of the food-borne illness, which stemmed from a cross contamination of her raw tuna with bacteria found in raw poultry.
This 4/7/05 food-poisoning incident apparently had devastating effects on Alexis Sarti. It caused her entire respiratory system to shut down. Sarti became violently ill after eating the contaminated tuna that caused her nervous system to shut down. She experienced double vision and paralysis from head to toe immediately afterwards.
She had to use a walker for eight months after that incident and even now, she has only 40 percent of what would have been her normal endurance. The food poisoning episode had drastic effects on her everyday life as well. A cross country runner at high school, Sarti had to drop out of Saddleback College to endure medical treatment and therapy for a year and a half. More than three years after the incident, she still has muscle spasms and cramps everyday. The contaminated ahi tuna appetizer she ate that day left Alexis Sarti disabled for the rest of her life.
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The Michigan Department of Agriculture has determined that the E. coli-tainted lettuce, which has sickened more than 36 people in Michigan, originated from California. . According to this October 9, 2008 article in the Detroit Free Press, the tainted California lettuce was sold by distributors in Michigan to institutions and restaurants. The E. coli outbreak started at Michigan State University and Lenawee County Jail in early September before hitting metro Detroit.
Aunt Mid’s Produce of Detroit was identified as one of the local suppliers. That company has stopped its lettuce distribution. But, Aunt Mid’s is facing a lawsuit from Michigan State University student Samantha Steffen, who reportedly suffered bloody diarrhea and was hospitalized with dehydration in mid-September. A stool sample confirmed the presence of E. Coli 0157:H7.
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At least 23 people across 14 states have been infected with salmonellosis caused by the same strain of bacteria found in the recently recalled unsweetened Puffed Rice and Puffed Wheat Cereals manufactured by Malt-O-Meal, according a report by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. According to the news release, the recalled products were distributed nationally under the Malt-O-Meal brand name as well as private label brands such as Acme, America’s Choice, Food Club, Giant, Hannaford, Jewel, Tops and Weis Quality.
The cereals reportedly have “Best If Used By” dates from April 8, 2008 through March 18, 2009. Consumers have been asked to discard any of the above contaminated products. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, salmonella is a type of bacteria that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections. This is particularly true for young children, seniors and those with weakened immune systems. Some of the common symptoms of food-borne salmonella infection include nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhea and painful abdominal cramps.
As personal injury attorneys, who deal with foodborne illnesses all the time, we know how unpleasant and how painful a salmonella infection can be. Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys successfully represented Robert Rife, who got the infection by eating contaminated raw quail egg at a sushi restaurant in Orange County. We later discovered that the restaurant had several health violations.
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In what is the biggest meat recall in the history of this country, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recalled 143 million pounds of raw and frozen beef from a Chino meat-packing facility that recently earned notoriety for its inhumane treatment of cows and unethical business practice of forcing sick cows to the slaughter area. According to a Los Angeles Times article, USDA officials deemed meat from the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co. “unfit for consumption” because of many reported lapses in federally mandated inspections.
There was widespread concern about this particular facility because it was a top supplier to the National School Lunch Program. However, USDA officials still maintain that there is no immediate health risk with food-borne illnesses with this recall as with others in the past involving E. Coli-tainted beef. But the practices of this meat-packing unit in Chino were clearly dangerous and unethical and have led to criminal charges against the managers. So far, there are no known reports of food-poisoning as a result of consuming meat from this facility.
Federal agency reports show that the company did not consistently contact a public health veterinarian as required when cattle became unable to walk after being inspected. Officials say there is a remote possibility that someone would become sick from eating this meat and that this recall is a matter of taking “abundant caution.” A video surreptitiously recorded by the Humane Society of the United States shows managers hitting a sick cow with a paddle or attempting to drag animals by their feet to take them to slaughter. By law, animals that cannot walk are banned from entering the food supply.
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A Minnesota meat packer has recalled close to 188,000 pounds of ground beef patties and other meat products because officials believe the beef could be contaminated with dangerous E. Coli bacteria, according to an MSNBC news report. Rochester Meat Co. reportedly issued the recall after five people reported becoming ill in Wisconsin and one person became sick in California after consuming the tainted products.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a warning stating the meat may be contaminated with a strain of bacteria – E. Coli 0157:H7, which can be potentially deadly. Common symptoms of this disease include diarrhea and dehydration. Those who are most prone to being seriously affected are the very young and senior citizens.
The tainted meat was reportedly manufactured Oct. 30 and Nov. 6. It was sent to distributors nationwide and the meat could have been used by restaurants and food service institutions around the country. It was however not sold by retailers, USDA officials said.
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