Ohio E. coli Outbreak Victim Retains Pritzker
An E. coli poisoning and HUS victim sickened by beef from National Steak and Poultry has retained food safety attorney Fred Pritzker.
The 18-year-old woman from Ashtabula, Ohio suffered E. coli O157:H7 infection linked to adulterated beef products recalled late last year by the Oklahoma meat processor. The young woman was hospitalized for weeks and almost died of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). She was on dialysis for months and now suffers from decreased kidney function and hypertension. She faces a lifetime of medical problems and medical bills that should have been prevented.
National Steak and Poultry recalled 248,000 pounds of beef products on December 24, 2009, following an investigation that found an association between the company’s steaks and an E. coli O157 outbreak in Ohio and other states.
The so-called “non-intact beef products” were mechanically tenderized. This usually involves putting rougher cuts of beef through a machine that utilizes a set of needles or blades which pierce the meat and break down connective tissue.
Unfortunately, this process also can push E. coli O157:H7 on the surface of the meat into its center. If the meat is then served rare or medium rare, its center is not heated enough to kill the pathogen.
There have been at least four E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks associated with mechanically tenderized beef, but Pritzker said meat companies and restaurants that sell these products still do not warn consumers about the risk.
Said Pritzker: “They don’t want consumers to be able to make informed choices because they’re afraid it will hurt sales.”
According to Pritzker, the National Steak and Poultry outbreak highlights the need for a number of changes including:
- Requiring producers to use microbiological decontamination technologies on meat products before mechanical tenderization
- Requiring labeling changes that alert consumers to the existence of and dangers associated with mechanical tenderization
- Creating and mandating public outreach programs alerting consumers to this practice
Attorney Fred Pritzker represents E. coli victims nationwide. He can be reached at 1-888-377-8900 (TOLL FREE) or by completing his firm’s online contact form. His offices are in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Tags: National Steak and Poultry Lawsuit, Ohio E coli, Steak E. coli
