Hazelnut E. coli Outbreak hits MN WI MI
A Hazelnut E. coli outbreak has sickened at least seven people in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan — including two who were hospitalized in Minnesota. All case patients in this multi-state outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 ate in-the-shell Hazelnuts, or filberts. State public health officials, with help from federal authorities and the California Department of Public Health, traced the product to D. DeFranco & Sons wholesale company from California.
The Hazelnut recall announced Friday by DeFranco covers bulk nuts and Hazelnuts packaged under the Sunripe brand, with sell-by dates of 6-30-2011. Recalled product would have been purchased after November 2, 2010. Click here to see the combined Hazelnut E. coli recall list showing which retail stores in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan received the potentially contaminated filberts. There are many stores.
Three Hazelnut E. coli victims in Minnesota, three in Wisconsin and one in Michigan make up the outbreak, with onsets of illness from December 20 through January 28. The Minnesota victims are all men, over 50, including two who were hospitalized. They are from the counties of Hennepin, Redwood and Stearns, state officials said. The Wisconsin victims include a child and two adults, no hospitalizations.
All of the cases have reported eating in-shell hazelnuts from grocery stores. Of these, six purchased them from bulk bins at these stores and the other case reported purchasing similar product in a repacked form. Four of the cases reported purchasing the hazelnuts as part of mixed nuts. The Hazelnut E. coli outbreak was detected through routine monitoring of E. coli illnesses that are required to be reported in these states by doctors. A national surveillance system identified that these dispersed infections were caused by E. coli O157:H7 from the same source. This is known as molecular subtyping or DNA fingerprinting using Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresid.
To read about a Hazelnut E. coli lawsuit, attorneys at Pritzker Olsen have posted pertinent information on their website and they provide free case consultations at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or by completing an online contact form. Our law firm is one of the very few practicing extensively in the area of E. coli litigation and other foodborne illness litigation. When news of this outbreak hit, the firm’s president and founder was in British Columbia speaking to a multi-national symposium on food poisoning.
E. coli O157:H7 is the dominant cause of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a disease with no cure that can ravage and kill a person in a cascading series of health problems ranging from kidney failure to stroke and paralysis. Children under the age of 5 are most likely to develop HUS, but it can surface in anyone who is infected with the powerful toxin emitted by E. coli O157:H7 and certain non-O157:H7 types of E. coli. Pritzker Olsen has its main offices in Minnesota, but it currently represents food poisoning victims around the country and has collected tens of millions of dollars over the years from victims.
Even in non-HUS cases, E. coli O157:H7 should not be taken lightly. Families must understand that an infection can produce long-ranging health deficits that should be monitored by a physician. Paying the medical bills should be the responsibility of the company or companies that sold contaminated food.
Tags: E. coli Lawyer, E. coli O157:H7
