Cincinnati, Ohio E. coli O157:H7 Illnesses Linked to J.B. Meats Ground Beef and Hamburger Patties
After Cincinnati, Ohio health officials found a possible link between two cases of E. coli O157:H7 and hamburgers processed by J.B. Meats and served at area restaurants, the company recalled about 72,800 pounds of ground beef and hamburger patties due to possible contamination with E. coli O157:H7. The products subject to the J.B. Meats recall are 5 and 10 pound clear packages of ground beef and ground beef patties in various size packages that were processed on and can be identified by the dates Aug. 18, 2010 through Aug. 18, 2011. J.B. Meats is a Cincinnati, Ohio establishment.
The recalled ground beef and hamburger patties were sold to restaurants in the Cincinnati area, but the company did not say which restaurants. Each clear plastic bag and label bear the establishment number “EST. 1188” within the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s mark of inspection.
J.B. Meats said it was notified on Aug. 12 of an investigation of two E. coli O157:H7 illnesses. The Cincinnati Health Department reported there were two patients who became ill on July 20 and 21 that may have resulted from ground beef consumed on July 16 and 17, the company said.
Epidemiological and microbiological evidence points to a possible link between the ground beef products produced by J.B. Meats on July 15 and the illnesses in Cincinnati, Ohio. The company said the recall is precautionary, as there has been no conclusive link between the illnesses and the ground beef produced at the facility.
E. coli O157 can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), both severe illnesses that can cause kidney failure, central nervous system damage (seizures, stroke, paralysis, etc.), heart failure, pancreatitis and death.
E. coli O157:NM Outbreak in Michigan Linked to McNees Meats
The E. coli O157:NM outbreak in Michigan has sent 6 people to the hospital. E. coli O157 can cause thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), life-threatening complications of an E. coli infection that can cause kidney failure, central nervous system damage, heart failure, pancreatitis and other serious health problems. Read more about E. coli O157:NM, TTP and HUS. To date, five confirmed cases of E. coli O157:NM are confirmed and four are suspected in the following Michigan counties: Lapeer, Genesee, Isabella, and Sanilac.
Our attorneys are investigating the outbreak, which has been linked to ground beef products from McNees Meats and Wholesale, LLC, in North Branch, Michigan. In response to the outbreak, McNees Meats recalled about 2,200 pounds of ground beef that was distributed through the company store at 6267 Old State Road, North Branch, MI, and also sold to retail establishments and restaurants in Armada, Lapeer and North Branch, Mich.
The list of recalled McNees ground beef products includes:
- 1 and 10-lb. clear packages of “McNees Ground Beef Bulk.”
- 1 to1.5-lb., approximate weight clear plastic bags of “McNees Ground beef patties.”
- 1-lb. packages of “McNees Ground Round.”
- 1 and 2-lb packages of “McNees Ground Beef Bulk” sold in red and white plastic bags.
People who have been sickened in an E. coli outbreak may be able to file an E. coli lawsuit and recover money for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and other damages. The E. coli attorneys at Pritzker Olsen have recovered millions of dollars on behalf of E. coli victims and victims of other food borne pathogens.
Contact the E. coli lawyers at Pritzker Olsen for a free case evaluation >>
E. coli Outbreak Investigation in Tennessee
Johnson City, Tennessee, is the headquarters for a Tennessee E. coli outbreak investigation that has grown to include 11 confirmed victims and several more case patients awaiting test results. In addition, two children from Southwest Virginia suffered severe E. coli infections in the past weeks. One of them, a 2-year-old girl, died as a result of E. coli O157:H7 poisoning, possibly from food.
The 11th case was confirmed and announced by the Sullivan County Regional Health Department: “The source of the bacteria has not been identified and our staff is working closely with the Northeast Regional Health Office in Johnson City to investigate the source of illness.” The notice emphasized that the outbreak in eight counties of Northeast Tennessee is not related to the European E. coli outbreak that is centered in northern Germany, killing 26 people.
If you or a loved one has symptoms of E. coli infection highlighted by painful stomach cramps and bloody or watery diarrhea, immediately contact your physician. Doctor’s offices will know to tell public health investigators about any new cases and you may be interviewed about your food history and about other possible exposures to the pathogen.
A Tennessee E. coli lawsuit may be filed if officials can trace the source of the illnesses. National food safety law office PritzkerOlsen, P.A., is conducting its own investigation and is accepting cases from those individuals and families who have been afflicted at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or send contact information. Our law firm is one of the very few in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation and we have won tens of millions of dollars over the years for victims of E. coli HUS and other complications from food poisoning. The high expense of medical treatment for E. coli poisoning caused by a food purveyor’s negligence should not fall on the victim.
Families should heed food safety warnings to cook all ground beef and other meat to internal temperatures of 160 degrees to kill any potential E. coli bacteria. E. coli O157:H7 also can contaminate raw milk, many varieties of fresh produce, shelled nuts, cheese and other food.
E. coli O157:H7 is a strain of bacteria that produces a toxin that can cause hemorrhagic colitis. This illness can develop into an extremely serious condition known as HUS, or hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can cause kidney failure, brain damage, strokes, and seizures in young children and the elderly. This pathogen can survive both refrigerator and freezer storage.
Ground beef E. coli O157:H7 Recall in 2011
So far in 2011, USDA has announced just one ground beef products recall for E. coli O157:H7. There was no ground beef E. coli outbreak associated with the March recall of Creekstone Farms Premium Beef chubs, but USDA urged consumers who were concerned about illness to contact their health care provider. No subsequent announcements of any outbreak was ever made.
E. coli O157:H7 is banned by the federal government from hamburger because the bacteria is highly toxic and can rest in the middle of a hamburger or meatball, where the organisms easily survive in undercooked meat. Obviously, that measure hasn’t stopped ground beef E. coli outbreaks from happening. In July 2009, for instance, state and federal health officials announced a multi-state E. coli O157:H7 outbreak and recall of 380,000 pounds of beef cuts from JBS Swift Beef Co. designed for grinding into hamburgers. At least 23 people in nine states were sickened, including 12 who were hospitalized and two who developed HUS.
Because E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef is a classified adulterant, you and your family have special legal rights to press for recoveries against the meatpacker and other companies in the supply chain who sold the adulterated product. National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen Attorneys is currently representing ground beef E. coli victims and is considered a leading representative of all victims of food poisoning. As one of the few firms in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness, we have recovered tens of millions of dollars for the families who have suffered injury and loss.
To contact an E. coli lawyer at Pritzker Olsen for a free case consultation, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete one of our online contact forms with information about your case. Our law firm does not get paid until you win.
E. coli O157:H7, a pathogen that produces dangerous Shiga toxin once anchored in a person’s intestines. In 8-15 percent of infections, patients develop HUS, or hemolytic uremic syndrome, a severe disease that results in death about 5 percent of the time. Tragically, children under 5 are in the age group most affected by HUS.
Creekstone Farms of Arkansas City, Kansas, sold the 10-pound chubs of beef to outlets in Arizona, California, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington for further processing into ground beef. Each case label was marked with the USDA establishment number “EST. 27″. The Creekstone Farms recall, announced March 8, covered 14,578 pounds of ground beef products. The problem was discovered through third party lab results.
In 2010, Creekstone Farms Premium Beef LLC was in the news for a different reason. On June 17, 2010, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the meatpacker for allegedly exposing workers to a potential catastrophic release of ammonia at its meat processing facility.
OSHA’s inspection, initiated in December 2009, found 20 alleged serious violations and one alleged repeat violation. The serious violations primarily stem from hazardous deficiencies in the company’s process safety management of the ammonia refrigeration system. The repeat violation stems from a failure to provide machine guarding to protect employees from amputation hazards created by rotating and moving parts of a saw. In addition, machine guarding was not adequate for dumpers or packing machines. A repeat violation is issued when an employer previously was cited for the same or a similar violation of any standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facilities in federal enforcement states within the last three years.
Hamburger E. coli Recall For California Restaurants
A hamburger E. coli recall aimed at restaurants in southern California has been announced by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) involving 3,170 pounds of fresh ground beef patties and other bulk packages of ground beef products made by American Food Service, Pico Rivera, California.
E. coli O157:H7 may contaminate this hamburger meat and restaurants are urged to check their refrigerator and freezer stocks for ground beef stamped with “EST1913″ inside the USDA mark of inspection. “These products were distributed to restaurants throughout southern California,” FSIS said.
E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. Children under 5, seniors and persons with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider. E. coli O157:H7 is one of the most dangerous of all pathogens in food. Five to 15 percent of people who become infected by it develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) or thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP).
These diseases can cause severe injury not only to a person’s kidney, but also to the case patient’s heart, brain and nervous system. HUS-TTP is the leading cause of E. coli death, including HUS child death. E. coli lawyers at PritzkerOlsen, P.A., are available to answer questions about lawsuits and compensation for E. coli poisoning victims at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete our contact form. E. coli O157:H7 is banned from ground beef in the United States and manufacturers of the product can be held liable for harms caused by it.
The following products are subject to recall:
- (559002) American Companies 100% Pure Ground Beef 30-lb. case
- (552102) American Companies 2/1 R Ground Beef Patties 80/20 10-lb. case
- (553102) American Companies 3/1 R Ground Beef Patties 80/20 10-lb. case
- (554102) American Companies 4/1 R Ground Beef Patties 80/20 10-lb. case
- (554106) American Companies 4/1 R Ground Beef Patties 80/20 10-lb. case
- (554302) American Companies 4/1 L Ground Beef Patties 80/20 20-lb. case
- (555302) American Companies 5/1 L Ground Beef Patties 80/20 20-lb. case
- (556102) American Companies 6/1 R Ground Beef Patties 80/20 10-lb. case
- (553302) American Companies 3/1 L Ground Beef Patties 80/20 20-lb. case
- (554402) American Companies 4/1 J Ground Beef Patties 80/20 20-lb. case
- (557102) American Companies 7/1 R Ground Beef Patties 80/20 10-lb. case
- (556106) American Companies 6/1 R Ground Beef Patties 80/20 10-lb. case
- (552106) American Companies 2/1 R Ground Beef Patties 80/20 10-lb. case
- (559004) American Companies Ground Beef Bulk 80% Lean Taco Grind 60-lb. case
- (559202) American Companies 100% Pure Ground Beef For Chili (Coarse Grind) 30-lb. case.
