Food Poison Journal - Food poisoning outbreaks and litigation: surveillance and analysis

Mary-Jo Lomax of La Voz reports that an estimated 76 million cases of foodborne illnesses occur each year in the United States. While the majority of these cases are mild and cause symptoms for only a day or two, some cases are more serious. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that there are 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths related to foodborne diseases annually.

The most serious cases usually occur in the very young, the very old or those with weakened immune systems.

Foodborne illnesses are caused by a variety of bacteria, viruses, parasites, and even toxins. Symptoms can appear from a few hours to a week or more.

Elliotte Bowerman of Lean Trimmings reports that the nation's largest grocery chain - including Fred Meyer, QFC, Fry's, Smith's and Ralph's stores - announced last Tuesday that it will no longer carry ground beef products packaged with carbon monoxide (CO). The decision resulted from uncertainty over the benefits and detriments of using the gas, which the FDA has approved since 1980.

"We just didn't have enough information to feel like it had to be in our meat," a Fred Meyer spokeswoman told The Oregonian.

Kalsec Foods, a Michigan maker of natural food extracts, petitioned the FDA to ban the use of CO, saying the color preservative deceives consumers. Kalsec has raised questions about the use of CO, even at minute amounts, in its effort to capture market share for its packaging technology.

Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin is asking consumers to check their refrigerators for two kinds of milk sold at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club.

The commissioner's request follows Wal-Mart's announcement that it has pulled milk from its shelves after receiving complaints about it having a foul odor.

The two kinds of pulled milk are Great Value Brand Vitamin D Milk, gallon, 128 Fl Oz. and Great Value Reduced Fat 2% Milk, gallon, 128 Fl Oz. Both kinds have a "sell by" code of 07MAR with a manufacturing plant code of #13-300. Codes are located on the shoulder of the plastic gallon container.

"This is a voluntary product withdrawal issued by Wal-Mart on Friday, February 24, for both Wal-Mart and Sam's Clubs in the affected area -- primarily middle Georgia and south Georgia," said Commissioner Irvin.

"I have instructed our sanitarians to check stores during normal daily activities for the implicated products, said Irvin. "I applaud Wal-Mart for taking this prompt action to protect its customers. My staff has collected samples of the milk for testing to see if we can determine the cause of this."

Joanna Larez of the Greeley Tribune reports that Nelly Morales had given her baby almost two full cans of formula before she heard about traces of metal that might be contained in the batch.

Enfamil Gentlease powder infant formula in 24-ounce cans with bottom code BMJ19 and a preferred use date of July 1, 2007, was recently recalled.

Morales, 23, of Greeley has given her 5-month-old daughter, Belicia Morales, the formula since September. Belicia's doctor recommended the formula, which is designed to be easily digested.

Morales heard about the recall on the news and checked an empty can in the trash to find that it was part of the recalled batch. So was the can she was using.

Belicia is a healthy baby, but started vomiting and having diarrhea about two weeks ago, which would be about when Morales started using the formula from the recalled batch.

The Associated Press reports that one of the nation's largest egg producers was barred Friday from selling over 4 million eggs deemed unfit for human consumption.

The eggs were stored in a barn in Croton belonging to Ohio Fresh Eggs. Inspectors found the eggs at room temperature, in violation of health standards, the Ohio Department of Agriculture said.

State law requires eggs to be stored under refrigeration in a controlled environment below 45 degrees.

A Licking County court issued an order prohibiting the sale of the eggs and the agriculture department will seek an injunction against the company on Tuesday.

The eggs were not intended for retail sale but were being prepared for possible sale as animal feed, said company spokesman Harry Palmer. If the court rules the eggs must be destroyed, the company will comply.

Ohio Fresh Eggs bought the former Buckeye Egg Farm in February 2004 after that company's repeated run-ins with the state over environmental violations.

In September, agriculture department director Fred Dailey sought to revoke Ohio Fresh Eggs' operating permits, alleging it provided false information on its applications. The company has denied the allegation, and a hearing is scheduled in June.