According to a recently released report by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDOH), 57 individuals who met the case definition[1] were deemed to be part of the outbreak linked to Jim-N-Joe’s Northland Katering.

Of those ill, 65% were women.  All cases reported diarrhea, 96% cramps, 61% bloody stool, 37% vomiting and 19% fever.  37% sought medical treatment with 16% hospitalized.  No one developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

After an exhaustive investigation, MDOH concluded that the common server at the five events between July 1 and July 17 on the Fond du Lac Reservation was Jim-N-Joe’s Northland Katering.  MDOH also found that the most common food items were the celery and onions.  Potato Salad, which included celery and onions was found to be tainted with E. coli O157:H7.  Cases were also identified at events where potato salad was not served, but celery was.  The celery was traced back to a field adjacent to a defunct dairy operation near Gonzales, California.

We represent several of those hospitalized due to E. coli O157:H7. See additional documents at Outbreak Database.

E. coli:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The E. coli lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $600 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our E. coli lawyers have litigated E. coli and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products.  The law firm has brought E. coli lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John’s.  We have proudly represented such victims as Brianne Kiner, Stephanie Smith and Linda Rivera.


[1] A case was defined as an individual who attended an event catered by Jim-N-Joe’s Northland Katering and subsequently developed diarrhea that was bloody or at least three days of duration, or an individual who had E. coli O57:H7 isolated from a stool culture with a PFGE pattern indistinguishable from the main outbreak pattern.