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Posted by Food Poisoning Lawyer on May 29, 2007

New California Food Safety Rules Take Effect July 1

The Press Democrat out of Santa Rosa, California, reported today that California will introduce new food safety rules on July 1, 2007.  The rules, which have been in the making for ten years, will improve current food codes regarding the following:
  • Food worker personal hygiene, including updated hand washing guidelines.
  • Hot and cold holding temperatures for food, specifically setting standards for heating, reheating, and cooling foods, and including the assurance that food is transported safetly, and at an appropriate temperature to prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria or viruses.
  • Proper cooking.
  • Equipment contamination, down to a specification that preset tableware must be covered or inverted, and unused table settings must be changed between customers.
  • And obtaining food from safe sources.
Restaurant employees will also be required to notify a person in charge if they have an open or exposed wound, or are ill, and restaurants will be required to keep a person familiar with food safety regulations on-site while the restaurants are open.  After July 1, cooks will be able to make their own decision about whether to wear gloves or not while they're cooking.
Posted by Food Poisoning Lawyer on May 25, 2007

Sprouts recalled for Salmonella

Alfalfa SproutsCalifornia, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington health officials are warning that alfalfa sprouts sold by Salad Cosmo USA Corp., a California company, may be contaminated with Salmonella.  Routine testing revealed Salmonella contamination in alfalfa sprout seeds at Salad Cosmo, and the company instituted a voluntary recall of the products.  An article in the San Jose Mercury News identified the recalled products as, "two-and-a-half-ounce plastic containers and one-pound plastic bags of sprouts labeled Salad Cosmo Alfalfa Sprouts with the production codes of 0519 to 0526."

Dozens of foodborne illness outbreaks have been traced to sprouts.  In 2000, Bill Marler called on the FDA to require a warning label on sprouts after a California Salmonella outbreak was traced to contaminated sprouts. 
Posted by Food Poisoning Lawyer on May 24, 2007

Monkfish recalled for potential toxc contamination

At least two people became ill with apparent tetrodotoxin poisoning, a poisoning that is commonly associated with pufferfish, after eating products labeled as monkfish which were distributed by the Hong Chang Corporation of Santa Fe Springs, California.  According to a press release from the Food and Drug Administration:
Consumption of foods containing tetrodotoxin can result in life-threatening illness or death. This toxin cannot be destroyed by cooking or freezing.

Initial symptoms occur within 30 minutes to several hours after consuming food containing the toxin and are characterized by lip and tongue tingling and then followed by facial and extremity tingling and numbness. Subsequent symptoms may include headache, balance problems, excessive salivation, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea with abdominal pain which can be severe. In severe cases, muscles can become paralyzed and death may follow resulting from respiratory muscle paralysis. Consumers experiencing these symptoms should seek immediate medical care.
Information about the products being recalled can be found in the FDA's recall release.
Posted by Food Poisoning Lawyer on May 23, 2007

Salmonella recall

According to news reports, Whole Foods is recalling 16-ounce jars of 365 Organic Everyday Value Sesame Tahini for possible Salmonella contamination.  So far, no Salmonella illnesses in connection with the recalled product have been reported.

From www.about-Salmoenlla.com:
The acute symptoms of Salmonella gastroenteritis include the sudden onset of nausea, abdominal cramping, and bloody diarrhea with mucous. The onset of symptoms usually occurs within 6 to 72 hours after the ingestion of the bacteria.1 The infectious dose is small, probably from 15 to 20 cells. There is no real cure for a Salmonella infection (or salmonellosis), except treatment of the symptoms. For most strains of Salmonella, the fatality rate is less than one percent.

Salmonella infections usually resolve in five to seven days, and many times require no treatment, unless the patient becomes severely dehydrated or the infection spreads from the intestines. Persons with severe diarrhea may require rehydration, often with intravenous fluids. Treatment with antibiotics is not usually necessary, unless the infection spreads from the intestines, or otherwise persists, in which case the infection can be treated with ampicillin, gentamicin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, or ciprofloxacin. Some Salmonella bacteria have become resistant to antibiotics, however, and this has occurred possibly as a result of the use of antibiotics to promote the growth of feed animals.
Posted by Food Poisoning Lawyer on May 21, 2007

Keeping food safe

In an article titled, "Better Safe Than Sorry" for US News and World Report, nancy Shute highlighted food safety efforts being made by a Washington farmer, and focused on what consumers can do in their own homes to protect themselves from foodborne illness.
Andrew Stout's farm in Carnation, Wash., is one of the most successful small organic farms in the country. Each week, Full Circle Farm delivers fresh lettuce, green peas, spring garlic, and spinach to 17 farmers' markets in the Seattle area, as well as to dozens of restaurants and retailers, including Whole Foods Market. Some 2,400 boxes of produce a week go out to families who have bought a share in the farm's riches. His customers are counting on getting freshness and taste-and also on Stout's care when it comes to hygiene. "Bacteria exists everywhere," he says. So he keeps the manure pile away from the packing shed, tests the water used to irrigate and wash vegetables, and keeps an eye on his workers to be sure they wash their hands. "I'm a food provider," he says. "You want to do the absolute best that you can."
US News followed up the article with a list of foodborne illness outbreaks beginning in 1971. 

Meanwhile, CBS 3 out of Philadelphia ran a story with a focus on home food safety, emphasizing the importance of washing fruits and vegetables before eating them, or even cutting into them - as in the case of cantaloupe and other melons.  Below is some of their food safety advice:
"It's really important to wash fruits and vegetables of all kinds before you cut into them even if you're not going to eat the rind. This cantaloupe grew pretty close to the ground so it could have picked up bacteria from the soil that could be on the surface. As you pull a knife though it, you're going to drag bacteria that's on the outside, in to the inside if you haven't washed it off first," said Sharon Franke from The Good Housekeeping Institute.

If you like leftovers, keep them in the refrigerator for no more than 4 days, then toss them. When you're cooking food, use a food thermometer to determine its internal temperature.
Continue Reading...
Posted by Food Poisoning Lawyer on May 18, 2007

Salmonella outbreak in Racine County

Racine County health officials are investigating what appears to be a Salmonella outbreak among residents of Racine County.  At least 20 people have been laboratory-confirmed as suffering from Salmonella infections, and it is possible that more cases exist, but that not all people who became ill with Salmonella as part of the outbreak have been diagnosed.  According to an article in the Racine Journal Times:
"The health departments are looking into all reports of illness and all possible sources of acquisition," [health officer Margaret] Gesner said.

The health departments were interviewing affected people to find any potential links, such as an event everyone attended, which would help track down a cause, Gesner said. The health departments were first made aware of a possible outbreak on approximately May 7 when All Saints notified the health department of an increase in Salmonella cases, she said.

Based on current data, it's possible the outbreak has already ended, Gesner said. But she cautioned that could change.

The onset of symptoms in currently reported cases range from May 2 to May 8, Gesner said. People exposed to salmonella can experience an incubation period of up to 72 hours before symptoms appear. Build in time before a person goes to the doctor and time for laboratory testing and it appears no new cases are emerging.
Health officials are also investigating the possibility of whether Salmonella cases in Waushara, Milwaukee, and Kenosha Counies could be connected to the outbreak.
Posted by Food Poisoning Attorney on May 17, 2007

Raw milk may be contaminated with Listeria

The Washington Department of Agriculture warned this week that raw milk may be contaminated with Listeria, a foodborne pathogen.  In a press release, the Department of Agriculture stated:
Consumers who have purchased raw milk from Our Lady of the Rock on Shaw Island, San Juan County, during the week of April 29 should discard it immediately due to the risk of Listeria contamination.

A routine sample of the unpasteurized milk from the dairy was taken April 30 and found to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. The dairy operation was notified of the laboratory test results on Friday, May 11.

As of today, no illnesses have been reported as a result of the contamination. Individuals who have consumed the raw milk and become ill are advised to consult their physician or their local health department.
Five days to three weeks after ingestion, symptoms of Listeriosis will appear if a person becomes infected. A person with listeriosis usually has fever, muscle aches, and gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea or diarrhea. If infection spreads to the nervous system, symptoms such as headache, stiff neck, loss of balance, confusion, obtundation or convulsions can occur. With brain involvement, listeriosis may mimic a stroke.

Human cases of Listeria are, for the most part, sporadic and treatable. Nonetheless, Listeria remains an important threat to public health, especially among those most susceptible to this disease. With the increase of the numbers of immunocompromised people, the risk multiplies. The fact that Listeria is a disease easily transmitted from mother to fetus through the placenta is worrisome to an expectant mother, especially since pregnant women themselves rarely show outward signs of such a devastating infection.
Posted by Food Poisoning Attorney on May 17, 2007

Food safety focus of CNN special

SEATTLE, WA (May 17, 2007) – Food safety is a hot topic these days. The New York Times and Wall Street Journal ran stories on the subject on Wednesday, May 16th, and CNN is airing a special on food safety both Saturday and Sunday, May 19th and 20th.

Most media attention geared toward food safety in recent months has focused on foodborne illness outbreaks traced to contaminated spinach, lettuce, and peanut butter. But Bill Marler, a Seattle attorney who exclusively represents victims of foodborne illness, says that dangers presented by contaminated meat products should not be forgotten or overlooked.

In the last two weeks, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan residents have been stricken with E. coli after eating contaminated ground beef. “It’s almost official grilling season, and although the meat industry has done a tremendous job of cleaning up and reducing the number of E. coli outbreaks traced to ground beef, E. coli contamination in meat products is a real danger,” Marler said.

Marler, who was recently retained by a Minnesota woman who became ill after eating E. coli-contaminated ground beef produced by Minnesota company PM Beef Holdings, has represented victims of E. coli outbreaks traced to ground beef, steaks, apple and orange juice, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, cantaloupe, and other foods. Marler’s firm, Marler Clark, currently represents over 100 victims of last year’s E. coli outbreaks traced to spinach and lettuce, nearly 5,000 victims of the recent Salmonella outbreak traced to contaminated peanut butter, and several victims of an E. coli outbreak traced to ground beef served at a church picnic in Longville, Minnesota, last summer, including the family of a woman who died.

“I think people will be shocked with what they learn from watching the CNN special,” Marler added. “Americans like the people featured in the special shouldn’t have to learn the hard way that the food supply isn’t as safe as they think it is. We should be able to trust that we’re putting on our tables and feeding our families is pathogen-free before it ever reaches our homes.”

Marler, a food safety advocate, recently joined clients on a trip to Washington, DC, where they participated in a hearing titled, “Diminished Capacity: Can the FDA Assure the Safety and Security of the Nation's Food Supply?” He spends several days per month traveling around the country speaking on topics related to food safety and foodborne illness litigation through a non-profit consulting firm, OutBreak.
Posted by Food Poisoning Lawyer on May 16, 2007

CNN special on food poisoning to air this weekend

CNN's investigative unit spent months putting together a one-hour special on food safety and foodborne illness, which will air this Saturday and Sunday at 8pm EST.  Marler Clark worked with CNN producers to identify victims of recent foodborne illness outbreaks who could share their stories for the special, which is titled, "Danger:  Poisoned Food".  Attorney Bill Marler was also interviewed for the piece, and shared his perspective on foodborne illness, food safety, and food litigation.CNN Food Poisoning Special
Posted by Food Poisoning Attorney on May 14, 2007

Listeria warning for raw milk in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania health authorities have issued a warning to consumers who purchased raw milk from a dairy.  The raw milk may be contamianted with Listeria monocytogenes, a foodborne pathogen.  According to a story on the Solanco News Web site:
"During routine inspection, a preliminary test showed the presence of Listeria bacteria in some of the raw milk samples taken from the Misty Mountain dairy," said [Agriculture Secretary Dennis] Wolff. "If consumers have raw milk from this farm, they should discard it immediately."

There have been no illnesses reported because of the potential contamination, but if individuals who consumed the raw milk become ill, they are advised to consult their physician. Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized or homogenized.