Organic Ground Beef E. coli O157:H7 Recall
E. coli O157:H7 detected in ground beef at a meatpacking company in Hawthorne, California, has led to the recall of 17 tons of organic ground beef products, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. At this juncture, no illnesses have been reported, but the recall is Class I, meaning there is a high health risk to the public. Organic Harvest and Nature’s Harvest are the two brands to watch for.
First Class Foods Inc., a Hawthorne, Calif., discovered the potentially deadly pathogen through microbiological sampling, which confirmed a positive result for E. coli O157:H7, an organism that causes 73,000 illnesses and 50 deaths every year in the United States. Eating ground beef is a well-established mode of E. coli transmission, particularly for serotype O157:H7. When meat is ground, more of the meat is exposed to the harmful bacteria.
In 5 to 15 percent of case patients, E. coli O157:H7 infection leads to life-threatening hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) or thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). The two conditions can occur simultaneously, resulting in kidney, brain, heart, nerve and cell damage. E. coli lawyers at Pritzker Olsen attorneys currently represent HUS victims sickened by contaminated food. Our law firm is a national leader in the practice of foodborne illness litigation, including E. coli lawsuits. For a free case consultation, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete an E. coli claim contact form and a lawyer will be in contact with you.
What follows is the complete listing of products covered by the current organic ground beef E. coli recall by First Class Foods. Each package label bears the establishment number “EST. 18895″ as well as the identifying Pack Date of “10341 and 10350 Julian date. These ground beef products were produced on December 7, 2010, and December 16, 2010, and were shipped to retail establishments in California, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Washington:
- 16-oz. packages of “NATURE’S HARVEST ORGANIC GROUND BEEF BRICK” sold singly with one of the following “USE or FREEZE by” dates: “12/30/10″ or “01/08/11.”
- 16-oz. packages of “ORGANIC HARVEST ORGANIC GROUND BEEF BRICK” sold singly and in three-packs with one of the following “USE or FREEZE by” dates: “12/28/10″ or “01/06/11.”
- 16-oz. packages of NATURE’S HARVEST GROUND PATTY” containing four (4) 4-oz. patties with the following “USE or FREEZE by” date: “12/30/10″ or “01/08/11″
E coli Lawyer: Oregon E. coli O157 Infections Possibly Associated with Sally Jackson Cheese
E. coli lawyers at PritzkerOlsen law firm are monitoring an E. coli poisoning outbreak that may be associated with Sally Jackson cheese. To contact the firm, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete our online form for a free consultation. Our firm is one of the few in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation, and we have recovered millions of dollars for victims of food poisoning.
E. coli Outbreak in Oregon Prompts Recall of Sally Jackson Cheese
The FDA announced a recall of raw milk cheese made by Sally Jackson Cheese of Oroville, Washington. The Sally Jackson cheese recall includes all cheese products made from cow, goat, and sheep milk because they may be contaminated with E coli O157:H7, a dangerous bacteria that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and sometimes hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). E.coli HUS can lead to serious kidney damage, severe hypertension, stroke, seizures, heart failure, pancreatitis and death.
Sally Jackson brand cheeses made from raw cow, goat, and sheep milk were distributed nationwide to restaurants, distributors, and retail stores. The three types of recalled Sally Jackson cheese are all soft raw milk cheeses in various sized pieces. The products do not have labels or codes. The cow and sheep milk cheeses are wrapped in chestnut leaves, the goat cheese is wrapped in grape leaves and all are secured with twine. The cheeses may have an outer wrapping of waxed paper.
According to the FDA:
The products have been identified as a possible source of E. coli infections currently under investigation. The problem was revealed as a result of follow-up by the FDA of a report of an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections. The notification came from the Washington State Department of Agriculture, Washington Department of Health, and the Oregon Public Health Division.
Victims of this outbreak may have claims against Sally Jackson Cheese, a distributor, a restaurant and/or a retailer. The facts of the case determine who is liable (legally responsible to pay victims compensation) and where a lawsuit should be filed. An experienced attorney should be contacted regarding these issues.
Our law firm currently represents E. coli and HUS victims and have years of experience representing victims of food poisoning against food manufacturers, restaurants and retailers.
E. coli 026 Cargill Beef Recall at BJ’s in New York
Eight New York locations of BJ’s Wholesale Club sold Cargill Meat Solutions ground beef that may be contaminated with E. coli 026, a potentially deadly human pathogen.
Cargill recalled 8,500 pounds of E. coli ground beef August 28 after state and federal health investigators associated three confirmed E. coli 026 infections with the product. The cluster of illnesses included one case patient in New York and two in Maine. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service determined the association and notified consumers that the tainted ground beef was sold at BJ’s Wholesale Club stores in New York, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, New Hampshire and Virginia. Click here for the complete retail distribution list.
The ground beef was produced June 11, but law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., is among concerned parties that believe consumers are still at risk for unknowingly pulling E. coli-laced ground beef from their home freezers. In New York, the recalled Cargill hamburger was sold at BJ’s in Albany, Clarence, East Syracuse, Flushing, Greece, Monroe, Oneota and Yorktown Heights. Packages bear USDA establishment number EST 9400 inside the USDA mark of inspection.
Escherichia coli, commonly known as E. coli, is a bacterium commonly found in the lower intestines of cattle. Eating ground beef is a well-established mode of transmission of the bacteria. Healthy adults sometimes endure bloody diarrhea, painful stomach cramps and other symptoms of infection without treatment, but E. coli 026 and other shiga toxin-producing types of E. coli can cause death and severe illness in young children, older adults and other people with weakened or under-developed immune systems.
In five to 15 percent of cases, infected individuals develop life-threatening hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Children under 5 years old are especially susceptible to HUS, which can lead to kidney failure, anemia, heart problems, brain damage and central nervous system disorders, including paralysis.
Individuals concerned about an illness should contact a physician. For answers to questions about compensation for medical expenses, pain, suffering and other harms contact PritzkerOlsen at 1-888-377-8900 (TOLL FREE) or complete the contact form on the side of this Web page. Our firm is one of the few in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation and we have won millions of dollars for victims of food poisoning, including E. coli in ground beef.
Vons Among Retailers Named in Valley Meat Co. Beef E.coli Recall
Vons grocery stores are among the supermarkets affected by an August 6 Valley Meat Company recall of beef products that could be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 bacteria, according to the USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service’s (FSIS) retail distribution list.
Vons grocery stores and other retailers in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii have been notified to remove any potentially contaminated product from store shelves. According to the FSIS:
“The products subject to recall bear the establishment number “EST. 8268″ inside the USDA mark of inspection as well as a production code of 27509 through 01210. These products were produced between the dates of Oct. 2, 2009 through Jan. 12.”
Vons and other retailers were notified of the recall after the California Department of Public Health began investigating a cluster of seven cases of E. coli O157:H7 and notified federal health officials at the FSIS.
Uka’s Big Saver Foods Affected by Valley Meat Co. E.coli Beef Recall
On August 6 Valley Meat Company of Modesto, California recalled one million pounds of beef that could be tainted with E. coli O157:H7, according to the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). On August 11, Uka’s Big Saver Foods was named on a list of retailers affected by this recall that the FSIS posted on its website.
Uka’s Big Saver Foods, among other retailers, has been instructed to remove any beef from store shelves that fits the recall description:
- Certain frozen beef products sold under the Valley Meat Co. brand
- establishment number “EST. 8268″ inside the USDA mark of inspection
- production code of 25709 through 01210
- produced between the dates of Oct. 2, 2009 through Jan. 12, 2010
- distributed to retailers in Arizona, Nevada, California, Washington, Oregon and Hawaii
The recall was issued after the California Department of Public Health reported seven cases of E.coli O157:H7 with the same PFGE pattern, or genetic fingerprint, to the FSIS.
Super Center Concepts on Valley Meat Co. Beef E. coli Recall Retailer List
Super Center Concepts, Inc., based in Santa Fe Springs, California, has been included on the retail distribution list for a Valley Meat Company E. coli recall of one million pounds of frozen beef products, according to the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
The recall followed reports of 7 cases of E. coli O157:H7 documented by state and federal health officials. The retail distribution list shows that the potentially contaminated beef products were distributed in several states, including: California, Nevada, Oregon, Arizona, Hawaii and Washington.
The recalled frozen beef patties and assorted other beef products were sold under the Valley Meat Company brand and have the establishment number “EST. 8268″ inside the USDA mark of inspection as well as a production code of 25709 through 01210. These products were produced between the dates of Oct. 2, 2009 through Jan. 12, 2010.
