A recent study by USDA’s Agricultural Research Service showed that E coli O157:H7 grows at a rapid, temperature-dependent rate before the lettuce deteriorates. That means the visual quality of  bagged, fresh-cut lettuce is a poor indicator of the products’  food safety status.

Given the lack of visual cues, proper refrigeration is important to limit the growth of disease-causing microorganisms.

Results indicate that storage at 41 degrees, or  5 degrees Celsius, allowed the survival of E. coli O157:H7 on the packaged lettuce, but limited its growth.

All of the bagged products in the experiment were intentionally misted with E. coli bacteria in the lab and the bags were resealed. When they were stored at 54 degrees, or 12 degrees Celsius, the relative warmth led to a large increase in E. coli O157:H7 population on lettuce salads held for three days.

From 1990 to 2005, there were more than 700 foodborne illness outbreaks in the United States caused by contaminated produce. Many of those were lettuce E. coli outbreaks. The most recent major outbreak of E. coli in lettuce occurred earlier this year, sickening more than 20 people in six states.

Food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen has been retained by an E. coli HUS victim in connection with that particular E. coli O145 outbreak. The illnesses are associated with contaminated lettuce recalled  by Freshway Foods of Sidney, Ohio.

The client, a student at Daemen College in Amherst, New York, contracted an E. coli infection in April that developed into hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening illness that can cause kidney failure, central nervous system damage, heart problems, pancreatitis, and other serious medical conditions. The student’s illness resulted in three separate hospitalizations

If you or a loved one have been sickened by E. coli or other human pathogen in leafy green vegetables, contact an attorney at Pritzker Olsen for a free case consultation. By phone, your free inquiry can be taken at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or you may contact us online with the form on side of this web page.

Our firm is one of the few in the country practicing extensively in the area of food borne illness litigation and we have recovered tens of millions of dollars for victims of food poisoning. Pritzker Olsen is dedicated to education and prevention of E. coli and other harmful bacteria found in our food. Our founder and president, Fred Pritzker, is a sought-after food safety expert who has long advocated strong food safety laws and more inspections of our food.

The Price Chopper ground beef you purchased may have been part of a recall of 545,699 pounds of Fairbank Farms ground beef products due to possible contamination with E. coli O157:H7.  The recalled Fairbank Farms ground beef was sold to Price Chopper grocery stores in  Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York and Vermont.

Raw ground beef products contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 are adulterated under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA), which means that you and your child may have the right to sue Fairbank Farms and possibly Price Chopper for medical expenses, lost earnings, pain and suffering, emotional distress and other damages.

You and your child did not lose the right to sue for damages because you prepared the ground beef before serving it to your child.  The Price Chopper ground beef you purchased and prepared should not have been contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

It is important for you and your child that you replace any guilt with a healthy dose of anger and seek justice.

To contact our law firm for a free consultation about a Fairbank Farms lawsuit and a Price Chopper E. coli lawsuit, please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free), email Attorney Fred Pritzker or submit our online consultation form.  We want to hear from you, and we have the experience to help.

We are not paid unless you win.

Keywords: Price Chopper lawsuit, E. coli ground beef, Fairbank Farms lawsuit, hamburger E. coli, Price Chopper beef recall, Fairbank Farms ground beef recall, Price Chopper Ecoli, class action lawsuit.

The Shaw’s ground beef you purchased may have been part of a recall of over 500,000 pounds of Fairbank Farms ground beef products due to possible contamination with E. coli O157:H7.  The recalled Fairbank Farms ground beef was sold to Shaw’s grocery stores in  New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Under federal law, ground beef contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 is “adulterated” for civil tort purposes, and you and your child may have the right to sue Fairbank Farms and possibly Shaw’s for medical expenses, lost earnings, pain and suffering, emotional distress and other damages.

You and your child did not lose the right to sue for damages because you prepared the ground beef before serving it to your child.  The Shaw’s ground beef you purchased and prepared should not have been contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

Again, you are not at fault for your child’s illness.  It is important for you and your child that you replace any guilt with a healthy dose of anger and seek justice.

The truth is our food supply is not safe, and terrorists are not at fault.  All along the food supply chain, companies consistently put profit before safety, and the result is people getting severely ill and dying.

To contact our law firm for a free consultation about a Fairbank Farms lawsuit and a Shaw’s lawsuit, please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free), email Attorney Fred Pritzker or submit our online consultation form.  We want to hear from you, and we have the experience to help.

We are not paid unless you win.

Keywords: Shaw’s lawsuit, E. coli ground beef, Fairbank Farms lawsuit, hamburger E. coli, Shaw’s beef recall, Fairbank Farms ground beef recall, Shaws Ecoli, class action lawsuit.

The company is in the midst of a ground beef E. coli recall of more than 270 tons of potentially contaminated ground beef that was distributed to grocery stores in eight northeastern and New England states. Besides paying victims’ expenses, the company also should  issue an apology.

“Eating a hamburger in the United States should not be a high-risk activity,” said Fred Pritzker, a national food safety lawyer who has represented E. coli victims against the world’s largest ground beef suppliers. “This outbreak was preventable.”

State and federal authorities are in agreement that strong epidemiological evidence and advanced, secondary DNA testing of ground beef from an open package of Fairbank Farms ground beef taken from the home of one of the victims correlates Fairbank Farms to the same strains of E. coli O157:H7 that have been making people sick.

Illnesses have been reported in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, South Dakota and California.

WTEN-TV of Albany, New York, reported that one of those who died was an older resident of Albany County who had underlying health problems. The other death occurred in New Hampshire, health officials in that state have confirmed.

E. coli O157:H7 emits a powerful Shiga toxin that attacks red blood cells in humans. Its effects can range from mild gastrointestinal discomfort to death and people who have weakened or underdeveloped immune systems — especially children under 5 and adults over 60 — are most vulnerable.

At least two of the 16 people hospitalized in this outbreak developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS. This is a life-threatening complication of E. coli O157:H7 infection that kills more than 4 percent of its victims. Even when it’s not fatal, patients often suffer life-long health consequences. HUS is the leading cause of kidney failure in children around the world.

The presence of E. coli O157:H7 in Fairbank ground beef  most likely means that not enough care was taken to keep cow fecal matter off muscle meat. The bacteria grows in the hind guts of cattle without harming them and gets impacted on their hides from manure. The manure can flake off and splatter and knives can mistakenly nick a cow’s intestines. Once the splattered beef is ground up, the pathogens can end up inside hamburger patties and meatloaf where they aren’t readily killed unless internal temperatures reach 160 degrees.

But victims should not be blamed for failing to kill potentially deadly microbes that aren’t supposed to be in their food in the first place.

Federal law bans E. coli O157:H7 from raw ground beef. In this case, the inspection process did not prevent it from entering the food supply. This gives victims of the Fairbank E. coli outbreak special legal rights and liability doesn’t stop with the meatpacker.

If you or a loved one has E. coli symptoms after eating ground beef (the signs might not show up for 4 to 8 days), contact a physician immediately. For answers to legal questions about this outbreak, call Pritzker Olsen Attorneys at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free). Our firm is one of the few in the country practicing extensively in the area of food poisoning litigation and we have recovered millions for victims.

We currently represent E. coli HUS victims and are accepting cases from this outbreak. Call to received a free case consultation or complete our online contact and information form.

“Our law firm is representing a 3-year-old boy that developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) from an E. coli infection.  He fought for his life for weeks in the hospital. Most people do not realize how dangerous E. coli poisoning is and that severe cases can result in life-long illness or death,” stated Attorney Fred Pritzker.

“Simply requiring more E. coli testing at slaughterhouses and at processing plants before and after grinding would prevent many E. coli outbreaks linked to ground beef, but federal and state regulators are unwilling to do this.  Our law firm continues to advocate for these changes, and we ask the public to write their legislators and demand more testing.  Eating a hamburger should not be a high-risk activity.”

State health officials are working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the New Hampshire Grocers Association and the CDC on this investigation, according to a press release from the New Hampshire DHHS:

“It’s possible we may see more cases in the coming days.”

“E. coli is a bacteria that produces a toxin that is potentially deadly to people,” said Dr. Jose Montero, Director of Public Health at DHHS, “especially young children and seniors. People should prepare all meat products safely and cook to a proper temperature to prevent illness. For this recall people should check their freezers for any affected products and throw them away.”

Sixteen people have been hospitalized and 3 developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), the primary cause of kidney failure in children.  Two deaths have been reported, one in New Hampshire and one in New York.

Our lawyers are representing a 3-year-old with E. coli HUS.  We have also represented families of people who died from E. coli poisoning. Contact our law firm for a free consultation regarding a Fairbank Farms lawsuit.

Health officials have found a genetic link between E. coli found in fresh ground beef products distributed by Fairbank Farms, an Ashville, New York, meat distributor and the E. coli that sickened people in  Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and  New Hampshire.  E. coli cases in New York may also be linked to this outbreak.

This is a particularly virulent strain of E. coli O157:H7 that has killed 2 people and sent at least 16 people to the hospital.

Our law firm represents E. coli victims and their families nationwide.  We are currently representing people sickened by E. coli who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), including a 3-year-old boy.  Contact an E. coli lawyer at our firm for a free consultation regarding a Fairbank Farms lawsuit.

This outbreak follows another unrelated E.coli outbreak involving more than 20 students and adults from Lincoln Middle School in Lincoln, Rhode Island who became ill with gastrointestinal symptoms after eating ground beef at Camp Bournedale, a nature camp in Plymouth, MA. Ground beef collected at the camp was the same strain of E. coli O157:H7 confirmed in two of the children. In response to the Lincoln Middle School E. coli outbreak, a ground beef and beef product recall was initiated by South Shore Meats in Brockton, MA last week as a result of the camp related outbreak. The recalled ground beef was distributed in institutional size packages.

Fairbank Farms Recall

Fairbank Farms is recalling multiple trade brands associated with the multi-state outbreak of E.coli O157:H7. Retailers that may have sold ground beef being recalled in Massachusetts include Shaws, Price Chopper, Trader Joe’s and Wild Harvest.

Trader Joe’s

• 1-pound packages of “TRADER JOE’S BUTCHER SHOP FINE QUALITY MEATS GROUND BEEF 85/15.”
• 1-pound packages of “TRADER JOE’S BUTCHER SHOP FINE QUALITY MEATS GROUND BEEF 80/20.”

NOTE: The sell-by dates for the above two products may be October 6 or 7, 2009.

• 1-pound trays of “TRADER JOE’S BUTCHER SHOP FINE QUALITY MEATS GROUND BEEF PATTIES 96/4 EXTRA LEAN.”
• 1-pound trays of “TRADER JOE’S BUTCHER SHOP FINE QUALITY MEATS GROUND BEEF PATTIES 85/15.”

Price Chopper

• 1- and 2.5-pound trays of “PRICE CHOPPER MEATLOAF & MEATBALL MIX.”
• 1-pound trays of “PRICE CHOPPER EXTRA LEAN GROUND BEEF 96/4.”
• 1-pound trays of “PRICE CHOPPER FRESH GROUND BEEF CHUCK FOR CHILI 80% LEAN 20% FAT.”

Lancaster and Wild Harvest

• 1-pound trays of “LANCASTER BRAND 96/4 EXTRA LEAN GROUND BEEF.”
• 1- and 2-pound trays of “LANCASTER BRAND 90/10 GROUND BEEF.”
• 1-pound trays of “WILD HARVEST NATURAL 85/15 ANGUS GROUND BEEF.”

Shaw’s

• 1- and 2-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF 93/7.”
• 1-, 2- and 3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF 80/20.”
• 1- and 3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF 75/25.”
• 1.3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND SIRLOIN BEEF PATTIES 90/10.”
• 1.3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND ROUND BEEF PATTIES 85/15.”
• 1.3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF PATTIES 80/20.”
• 3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF PATTIES FAMILY PACK 80/20.”
• 1-pound trays of “SHAW’S ANGUS GROUND BEEF 85/15.”
• 1-, 2- and 3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND ROUND BEEF 85/15.”
• 1-pound trays of “SHAW’S 90% NATURAL GROUND BEEF.”
• 1-pound trays of “SHAW’S 85% NATURAL GROUND BEEF.”
• 1-, 2- and 3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND SIRLOIN 90/10.”
• 1-pound trays of “MEATLOAF & MEATBALL MIX.”

BJ’s

• 5-pound trays of “FRESH GROUND BEEF, CONTAINS 15 % FAT” patties.
• 3- and 5-pound trays of “LEAN GROUND BEEF, CONTAINS 7% FAT.”
• 2.5-pound trays of “MEATLOAF & MEATBALL MIX.”

Ford Brothers

• 3-pound trays of “FRESH GROUND BEEF, CONTAINS 20% FAT” patties.

Giant

• 1-pound trays of “GIANT EXTRA LEAN GROUND BEEF 96/4.”
• 1-pound trays of “GIANT MEATLOAF & MEATBALL MIX.”
• 1-pound trays of “GIANT NATURE’S PROMISE GROUND BEEF.”
• 1-pound trays of “GIANT NATURE’S PROMISE GROUND BEEF PATTIES.”

Each package bears the establishment number “EST. 492″ inside the USDA mark of inspection or on the nutrition label. These products were packaged on September 15 and 16, 2009, and may have been labeled at the retail stores with a sell-by date from September 19 through 28, 2009, unless otherwise noted above. Consumers should ask at their point of purchase if the products they have are subject to recall. The products were sent to distribution centers, intended for further distribution to retail establishments in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Federal authorities announced today a Fairbanks Farms ground beef recall of 545,699 pounds of ground beef products sold at Trader Joes, Price Chopper, Lancaster and Wild Harvest, Shaw’s, BJ’s, Ford Brothers and Giant retail stores.

The recalled ground beef in this E. coli O157:H7 outbreak is marked with establishment number EST 492 inside the USDA mark of inspection. It was produced September 15 and 16 and has sell-by dates ranging from September 19-28.

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service did not say how many illnesses were associated with the E. coli ground beef recall, but it said a ” cluster of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses” investigated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state health and agriculture departments is involved.

As a public service, national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen Attorneys is reprinting the Fairbanks Farms E. coli recall below, in detail. If you or a loved on has become ill with symptoms of E. coli infection and have reason to believe it may be from eating ground beef from Trader Joes, Price Chopper or the other retailers, see a physician immediately.

For legal information about the Fairbanks Farms ground beef E. coli outbreak, contact an E. coli attorney at Pritzker Olsen, one of the nation’s leading practitioners of food poisoning litigation. We have collected millions of dollars for victims of E. coli O157:H7 and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening complication of E. coli. We currently represent E. coli HUS victims and have been involved as counsel for consumers in nearly all major E. coli outbreaks in the U.S. For a free case consultation regarding a Fairbank Farms lawsuit, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free), or complete our online contact and information form.

Two of our lawyers, Fred Pritzker and Elliot Olsen have taught seminars at national food safety conventions this year on the severity of the E. coli problem in the U.S. food supply and what food companies should be doing to prevent it. Consumers have special legal rights in E. coli ground beef lawsuits because the pathogen is banned from ground beef. As such, it is an adulterant and the liability of selling adulterated food does not stop with the manufacturer.

Consumers should check their freezers for recalled product that may be contaminated by E. coli O157:H7, an organism that survives freezing temperators. Do not try to kill the potentially lethal bacteria through cooking because any handling of the meat in your kitchen could lead to cross-contamination of surfaces and utensils. For evidence purposes, do not discard the meat or return it. Mark it as dangerous and keep it frozen.

Here is the Fairbanks Farms ground beef E. coli recall list:

Trader Joes

• 1-pound packages of “TRADER JOE’S BUTCHER SHOP FINE QUALITY MEATS GROUND BEEF 85/15.”
• 1-pound packages of “TRADER JOE’S BUTCHER SHOP FINE QUALITY MEATS GROUND BEEF 80/20.”
• NOTE: The sell-by dates for the above two products may be October 6 or 7, 2009.
• 1-pound trays of “TRADER JOE’S BUTCHER SHOP FINE QUALITY MEATS GROUND BEEF PATTIES 96/4 EXTRA LEAN.”
• 1-pound trays of “TRADER JOE’S BUTCHER SHOP FINE QUALITY MEATS GROUND BEEF PATTIES 85/15.”

Price Chopper

• 1- and 2.5-pound trays of “PRICE CHOPPER MEATLOAF & MEATBALL MIX.
• 1-pound trays of “PRICE CHOPPER EXTRA LEAN GROUND BEEF 96/4.”
• 1-pound trays of “PRICE CHOPPER FRESH GROUND BEEF CHUCK FOR CHILI 80% LEAN 20% FAT.”

Lancaster and Wild Harvest

• 1-pound trays of “LANCASTER BRAND 96/4 EXTRA LEAN GROUND BEEF.”
• 1- and 2-pound trays of “LANCASTER BRAND 90/10 GROUND BEEF.”
• 1-pound trays of “WILD HARVEST NATURAL 85/15 ANGUS GROUND BEEF.”

Shaw’s

• 1- and 2-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF 93/7.”
• 1-, 2- and 3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF 80/20.”
• 1- and 3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF 75/25.”
• 1.3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND SIRLOIN BEEF PATTIES 90/10.”
• 1.3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND ROUND BEEF PATTIES 85/15.”
• 1.3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF PATTIES 80/20.”
• 3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF PATTIES FAMILY PACK 80/20.”
• 1-pound trays of “SHAW’S ANGUS GROUND BEEF 85/15.”
• 1-, 2- and 3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND ROUND BEEF 85/15.”
• 1-pound trays of “SHAW’S 90% NATURAL GROUND BEEF.”
• 1-pound trays of “SHAW’S 85% NATURAL GROUND BEEF.”
• 1-, 2- and 3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND SIRLOIN 90/10.”
• 1-pound trays of “MEATLOAF & MEATBALL MIX.”

BJ’s

• 5-pound trays of “FRESH GROUND BEEF, CONTAINS 15 % FAT” patties.
• 3- and 5-pound trays of “LEAN GROUND BEEF, CONTAINS 7% FAT.”
• 2.5-pound trays of “MEATLOAF & MEATBALL MIX.”

Ford Brothers

• 3-pound trays of “FRESH GROUND BEEF, CONTAINS 20% FAT” patties.

Giant

• 1-pound trays of “GIANT EXTRA LEAN GROUND BEEF 96/4.”
• 1-pound trays of “GIANT MEATLOAF & MEATBALL MIX.”
• 1-pound trays of “GIANT NATURE’S PROMISE GROUND BEEF.”
• 1-pound trays of “GIANT NATURE’S PROMISE GROUND BEEF PATTIES.”