KXLY Spokane reports that Sydney Rypien was a healthy Spokane teenager and a three-sport athlete. Then she took a bite of raw cookie dough and ended up in the hospital soon afterward fighting for her life. This week Rypien learned how she contracted the deadly strain of E. coli. Health officials have tied Rypien’s E. coli and more than 30 others nationwide to General Mills flour. Today 10 million pounds of flour have been pulled from the shelves. Rypien says a handful of the people sickened were young girls right around her age.
The CDC reports that thirty-eight people infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O121 have been reported from 20 states – Alabama 1, Arkansas 1, Arizona 2, California 1, Colorado 4, Iowa 1, Illinois 4, Massachusetts 2, Maryland 1, Michigan 4, Minnesota 3, Missouri 1, Montana 1, New York 1, Oklahoma 2, Pennsylvania 2, Texas 2, Virginia 2, Washington 2 and Wisconsin 1. Illnesses started on dates ranging from December 21, 2015 to May 3, 2016. Ill people range in age from 1 year to 95, with a median age of 18. Seventy-eight percent of ill people are female. Ten ill people have been hospitalized.
Collaborative investigative efforts of state, local, and federal health and regulatory officials indicate that flour produced at General Mills’ Kansas City, Missouri facility is a likely source of this outbreak.
Prior E. coli O121 Outbreaks:
2014 Outbreak of E. coli O121 Linked to Raw Clover Sprouts from Evergreen Fresh Sprouts
On May 21, 2014 an outbreak of E. coli O121 linked to consumption of clover sprouts was announced by health officials in Washington and Idaho. On August 1, 2014 the CDC declared the outbreak over. In total 19 patients had been confirmed with E. coli…Read More »
E. coli O121 Linked to Farm Rich Products Frozen Mini Meals and Snack Items, 2012-2013
On March 28, 2013 Farm Rich Products Corporation announced a recall of 196,222 pounds of frozen chicken quesadilla and various other heat treated, not fully cooked frozen mini meals and snack items because of possible contamination with E. coli O121. …Read More »
Dungeness Valley Creamery Raw Whole Milk 2009
An outbreak was linked to the consumption of raw, unpasteurized, whole milk produced by the Dungeness Valley Creamery. There were a total of three cases. There were two E. coli strains implicated. One strain was confirmed and was E. coli O121. The…Read More »
Jefferson County Jail Pasteurized American Cheese or Margarine 2007
An outbreak attributed to three strains of E. coli bacteria, not E. coli O157:H7, occurred at the Jefferson County Jail, in Colorado. The strains of E. coli associated with this outbreak were: O121; O26; O84. A report from the Centers for Disease C…Read More »
Utah Wendy’s Restaurant Lettuce 2006
Iceberg lettuce that had been prepared and served to patrons of the Wendy’s Restaurant, in Ogden, Utah, and to attendees of a catered teachers’ conference at a junior high school (CORE academy) was implicated in an outbreak of E. coli O121:H19. This is…Read More »
An outbreak of E. coli O121 occurred among children who attended a Nebraska day care program. The infection was spread from person-to-person. All cases required hospitalization.…Read More »
An outbreak of E. coli O121 was associated with swimming in a Connecticut Lake. Three children developed hemolytic uremic syndrome as a result of their illness. E. coli indicative of fecal contamination was identified from sediment and water sample…Read More »
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.
If you or a family member became ill with an E. coli infection or HUS after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark E. coli attorneys for a free case evaluation.