Injuryboard Commentary - Salmonella

Not So Fast: Nationwide Recall on Slim Fast Due to Bacteria Contamination

Rick Shapiro — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 21:03:00 GMT

Slim Fast, the popular weight loss beverage, has issued a recall due to the discovery of harmful bacteria in their product that could cause food poisoning including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. The bacteria discovered was Bacillus cereus, which is in the same category as Salmonella as a food-borne illness.

The product was sold nationwide, so there could be contaminated Slim Fast in North and South Carolina associated with food poisoning. In fact, some people believe up to 10 million cans of Slim Fast could be affected, according to CNN. The recall covers all flavors, best-by date, and product number. Slim-Fast had two other major food contamination/poisoning recalls roughly 10 years ago.

Over two million cans of the drinks were recalled because of the risk of gastrointestinal sickness, according to walletpop.com. A year prior to that, 192,000 cans were recalled when they were suspected of being tainted with a caustic cleaning solution. More recently, Slim Fast recalled a product earlier this year.

Back in February, Slim Fast had to recall their “on-the-go” bars due to the risk of salmonella food poisoning contamination. In many states, sellers and distributors of food automatically by law provide what is called an implied warranty that their food is wholesome, safe to eat, and is not contaminated (even if not in writing, mandated and "implied" by law). The warranty is a basis of food poisoning lawsuits or claims where a person has serious medical complications, such as hospitalization, doctor's bills, and even permanent effects of the food poisoning.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm (VA-NC law offices) edits the injury law blogs Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono service to consumers.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Rick Shapiro

Certain Pet Carousel Treats Recalled

Chrissie Cole — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:37:00 GMT

The FDA is warning consumers not to feed their pets Pig Ears and Beef Hooves pet treats manufactured by Pet Carousel due to a possible Salmonella contamination.

The tainted pet products were distributed nationwide in bulk and retail packaging for sale in pet food and retail stores.

To this date there have been no reports of illness associated with the recalled pet treats, but the agency is advising consumers to not handle or feed these treats to their pets.

The recalled pig ear treats were packaged under the brand names Doggie Delight and Pet Carousel. And the recalled beef hooves treats were sold under the brand names Choo Hooves, Dentley’s, Doggie Delight, and Pet Carousel. All sizes and all lots of these products made by Pet Carousel are included in this alert.

Salmonella is harmful to humans and animals. The products should be disposed of in a safe manner by securing them in a trash bag.

The single most important measure to avoiding contamination is washing hands with hot soapy water for 20 seconds immediately after contact with dry pet foods, treats and supplements and after handling pets.

If your pet has consumed any of the recalled pet products or is experiencing any of symptoms of illness, you should contact your veterinarian immediately.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Spinach Recalled Due To Salmonella Contamination

Chrissie Cole — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:28:00 GMT

Two brands of bunched spinach have been recalled by Ippolito International, of Salinas, after salmonella was detected during routine testing, reports the AP.

The voluntary recall involves 1,715 cartons of spinach harvested from September 1-3, and sold to wholesale buyers, foodservice and retailers, according to the California Department of Health.

The majority of recalled cartons were sold under the “Queen Victoria” and "Tubby" label. The spinach was shipped to twelve states including Florida, New Jersey and New York.

To this date, there have been no reports of illness associated with the recall.

Symptoms of salmonella infection include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. They generally appear within 12 hours to 72 hours of eating tainted food. Infants, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems are more likely than others to develop severe illness.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Salmonella Prompts Recall Of Green Onions

Chrissie Cole — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:44:00 GMT

Several thousand cases of green onions provided by a farm in Mexicali, Mexico have been recalled due to fears that the onions may be contaminated with salmonella.

The bacteria was found during routine testing in New York last month, according to inspectors with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. To this date, there have been no reports of illness.

Officials notified the shipper, Salinas-based Steinbeck Country Produce. The company issued a voluntary recall Aug. 28 for 3,360 cartons.

The recalled produce was distributed in the following states: Arizona, California, Kansas, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New York and Texas.

Ocean Mist Farms also recalled several hundred cases after discovering they were from the same lot. The company wouldn’t say where its onions were distributed.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Melon Acres Recalls Canteloupes for Possible Salmonella Risk

Chrissie Cole — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 11:10:00 GMT

Melon Acres recalled cantaloupes at several Midwest locations including Greenwood, Indiana, Lansing, Michigan, and Tipp City, Ohio due to a possible risk of salmonella contamination.

The recall was announced August 27 on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Web site.

As of this date, no illnesses have been associated with the recalled cantaloupe, according to the news release.

The agency tested the melons on August 11. They found one of twenty tested positive for salmonella. The findings were reported to Melon Acres on August 21.

Salmonella is frequently the culprit behind food-borne illnesses. Symptoms of salmonella contamination include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Generally, symptoms appear within 12 hours to 72 hours of eating tainted food. Infants, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems are more likely than others to develop severe illness.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Avoiding Salmonella Exposure

Jason Knowles — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 17:51:13 GMT

A couple of years ago I obtained a nice settlement for a good fellow who was hospitalized for several days after salmonella exposure at a local restaurant. That case sparked my interest in food poisoning cases. Here is some recent information on salmonella you might find interesting and helpful.

On July 23, 2009, the AAJ News Brief advised of an Associated Press report that Tanimura & Antle, Inc., a major California lettuce grower, has recalled about 22,000 cartons of romaine lettuce due to concerns that the product may be tainted with salmonella. The lettuce was harvested in late June and early July and sold to retail, wholesale, and food service outlets across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico.

Salmonella is a bacterium that causes one of the most common intestinal infections in the U.S. – salmonellosis. The CDC estimates that there are about 30,000 confirmed cases of salmonellosis yearly in the U.S. and that about 600 deaths are caused by salmonella infections in the U.S. every year, accounting for 31 % of all food-related deaths (CDC, October 13, 2005).

Salmonella infection is contagious, so take precautions to avoid spreading bacteria to others. Preventive methods are especially important when preparing food or providing care for infants, elderly, or people with compromised immune systems. The Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research offers these suggestions for avoiding salmonella exposure: (1) wash your hands after using the toilet, changing a diaper, handling raw meat or poultry, or cleaning up after animals, (2) store raw meat, poultry and seafood away from other foods in your refrigerator and never place cooked food on an unwashed plate that has held raw meat, and (3) avoid eating raw eggs, which can be found in cookie dough, homemade ice cream, and eggnog.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jason Knowles

House passes food safety bill.

Wayne Parsons — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:42:45 GMT

The AP (7/31, Jalonick) reports that by a 283-142 margin, the House yesterday "passed a far-reaching food safety bill Thursday in the wake of the recent outbreak of salmonella in peanuts that killed at least nine people." President Obama "praised the bill soon after it was passed, calling it 'a major step forward in modernizing our food safety system.'" The AP adds that "after the bill failed" under suspension of House rules, "Democrats scrambled to put the legislation back on the House floor Thursday under a rule that required a simple majority to pass."

The Washington Post (7/31, Layton) reports that the House bill "affects every aspect of the US food system," placing "significant new responsibilities on farmers and food processors to prevent contamination before it occurs -- a departure from the country's reactive tradition that has relied on government inspectors to catch tainted food after the fact." The measure "was backed by a raft of consumer groups and trade associations but faced opposition from some farm interests and their House Republican allies, who charged that it gives too much authority to the FDA and will lead to higher costs and burdensome paperwork without necessarily making food safer."

"To help finance the inspections," reports the New York Times (7/31, Neumann), "the bill would impose a yearly fee of $500 to be paid by food-processing facilities, with a $175,000 cap for large companies with multiple facilities." CBO "has estimated that the fee would generate $1.4 billion over the next five years, covering about 40 percent of the FDA's costs for carrying out the expanded inspections and other measures in the bill."

McClatchy (7/31, Doyle) reports that "the Senate, where debate can really be stretched out, still must approve its own version. House and Senate negotiators will then have to work out their differences." Meanwhile, says the Wall Street Journal (7/31, Zhang), "changes already are afoot at the FDA. The agency is putting more emphasis on food safety and stepping up efforts to prevent outbreaks." Today, "FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg is expected to announce guidelines for the food industry aimed at preventing contamination of tomatoes, melons and leafy greens." Bloomberg News (7/31, Faler) also covers the story.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Wayne Parsons

Beware of Salmonella

Brent Adams — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:45:06 GMT

As with anything that can lead to an illness there is always worry and despair. This is especially the case if it is a disease that is caused from poor food handling by someone else. There is a case in Virginia involving peanut butter which has yet to be resolved. There has been an extension granted to people who intend to file a case against the company that was allegedly responsible for the outbreak of food poisoning. Previously, there was a national scare concerning whether people could eat peanut butter and whether any of the products with peanuts could be eaten.

The entire country was scared and everyone felt as if they should never touch peanut butter or peanut products again. This is how anyone would feel if they were to contract a food borne illness on any level. They would never want to eat that food again.

If you feel as if this is something that you think may have happened to you at any time you will need to consider all of the possibilities as well as the options that are available to you in regards to what can happen. Look out for outbreaks or possibilities of occurrences that may happen to you.

If you feel as though you have suffered from afood borne illness and know what may have been the cause for your discomfort and pain then you will want to contact a personal injury lawyer so they can assist you and determine next steps for you to take.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Brent Adams

Congress Reaffirms And Finances A Better FDA

Mike Bryant — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 07:33:00 GMT

Search "Food Safety" here at the Injuryboard site and you will find all sorts of alerts. Search "FDA" and you will find the list of failures by the organization over the last eight years. It's been an underfunded arm of the government that has been asked to look the other way from what has been happening. To actually write laws that make the world less safe for the consumer.

This past week, changes in congress hopefully signals a new direction. The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved legislation that would give the Food and Drug Administration significantly more funding and power to police food safety.

The legislation would give the FDA authority to order food recalls, impose new civil penalties and require companies to follow food-safety standards. It also would require the agency to inspect so-called high-risk food facilities at least once a year and make companies keep detailed records to help the FDA more quickly trace the distribution of tainted foods and track the course of the contamination.

To help fund the work, the bill would require some 378,000 food facilities, including 223,000 overseas, to pay an annual registration fee of $500. The legislation exempts farms that raise meat and poultry and other facilities regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

This is great news for the consumer and will hopefully get the FDA back to what it's supposed to be doing. Less food problems and quick effective response when something does happen will make a big difference.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Government Takes New Steps Toward Food Safety

Carrie Strasser — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 09:42:47 GMT

Today, the New York Times reported that the Obama administration issued a new rule on egg safety and also promised future efforts to ensure the safety of spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, melons, beef and chicken. These are foods that have caused millions to get sick and thousands to die each year.

The Agriculture Department promised to develop new standards to reduce salmonella levels in chickens and turkeys by the end of the year. The Food and Drug Administration promised to advise the food industry by the end of the month on how to prevent contamination of tomatoes, melons, spinach and lettuce. And within three months the F.D.A. plans to release advice about how farmers, wholesalers and retailers can build systems to trace contaminated foods quickly from shelf to field.

Despite these sweeping goals, Michael Taylor, a food specialist and senior adviser at the food and drug agency, stressed that while these recent changes are a step in the right direction, there is a need for mandatory regulatory standards.

Last month, the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved a measure that would provide the food and drug agency with more "money and authority" to inspect facilities and weed out any contaminated ingredients. This measure also forces food manufacturers to implement safety plans and pay an annual registration fee to finance inspections.

As for reducing egg contamination, administrations have been trying for years to implement an effective plan, but have yet to be really successful. Pennsylvania and more than a dozen other states have instituted a voluntary program that has been effective in reducing infected hen houses down to 7% from 39%. The federal plan announced on Tuesday is modeled after the Pennsylvania plan but makes it mandatory.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Carrie Strasser