The inspections “revealed a deterioration of food hygiene controls”, the presence of “rodents” and “insufficient measures to prevent pests from contaminating a food production site.”

E. coli O26 and E. coli O103 appear to be serotypes linked to this outbreak.

According to press reports, French prosecutors on Wednesday last week searched a Buitoni frozen pizza factory in northern France, the suspected source of an E. coli outbreak that has left dozens of children sick, as well as the headquarters of its owner Nestle France, authorities told AFP.

An investigation into involuntary manslaughter and deceitful practices was opened on 1 April after authorities learned of more than 70 infections, which may have caused the deaths of a one-year-old and an 18-year-old.  Over two dozen have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

The search at the Caudry factory operated by Buitoni, which is owned by the Swiss food conglomerate Nestle, was confirmed by a police source and the Paris prosecutor’s office, which is leading the investigation.

Nestle France, whose headquarters outside Paris were also raided, announced a recall of the affected Fraich’UP pizzas on March 18, and authorities ordered a halt of their production at Caudry after carrying out two hygiene inspections.

It has been some time since Nestle had a problem with E. coli.

People just don’t really understand how horrible food-borne illness is,” said William Marler, a prominent Seattle-based food-safety lawyer who is representing the Rivera family and 23 other victims in the cookie dough outbreak. “They think food-borne illness is a tummy ache and diarrhea.”

That quote from Mr. Marler is found today in a story that is all too rare–one from the perspective of the most seriously injured by food-borne illness.
It is the story of Linda Rivera, who ate Nestle cookie dough contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 and developed the life-threatening Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). She has spent about 120 in hospitals since eating the cookie dough last May, more than any of the Nestle victims.

Read the entire story by clicking on the headline below – “This Woman Might Die From Eating Cookie Dough – Severe Case Gives Context to Issue of Food Safety”

As of Tuesday, June 30, 2009, 72 persons infected with a strain of E. coli O157:H7 with a particular DNA fingerprint have been reported from 30 states. Of these, 51 have been confirmed by an advanced DNA test as having the outbreak strain; these confirmatory test results are pending on the others. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Arizona (2), California (3), Colorado (6), Connecticut (1), Delaware (1), Georgia (1), Iowa (2), Illinois (5), Kentucky (2), Massachusetts (4), Maryland (2), Maine (3), Minnesota (6), Missouri (1), Montana (1), North Carolina (2), New Hampshire (2), New Jersey (1), Nevada (2), New York (1), Ohio (3), Oklahoma (1), Oregon (1), Pennsylvania (2), South Carolina (1), Texas (3), Utah (4), Virginia (2), Washington (6), and Wisconsin (1). Ill persons range in age from 2 to 65 years; however, 65% are less than 19 years old; 71% are female. Thirty-four persons have been hospitalized, 10 developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

On June 29, 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that a culture of a sample of prepackaged Nestle Toll House refrigerated cookie dough currently under recall yielded E. coli O157:H7. The contaminated sample was collected at the firm on June 25, 2009. Further laboratory testing is underway to determine whether the E. coli strain in the product matched the strain causing the outbreak.

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 $800 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. coliattorneys for a free case evaluation.

Additional Resources:

And, for our French readers (via Google translate):

Les inspections “ont révélé une détérioration des contrôles d’hygiène alimentaire”, la présence de “rongeurs” et “des mesures insuffisantes pour empêcher les ravageurs de contaminer un site de production alimentaire”.

E. coli O26 et E. coli O103 semblent être des sérotypes liés à cette éclosion.

Selon des articles de presse, les procureurs français ont perquisitionné mercredi la semaine dernière une usine de pizzas surgelées Buitoni dans le nord de la France, source présumée d’une épidémie d’E. coli qui a rendu des dizaines d’enfants malades, ainsi que le siège de son propriétaire Nestlé France, les autorités a déclaré à l’AFP.

Une enquête pour homicide involontaire et pratiques trompeuses a été ouverte le 1er avril après que les autorités ont eu connaissance de plus de 70 infections, qui pourraient avoir causé la mort d’un enfant d’un an et d’un autre de 18 ans. Plus de deux douzaines ont développé le syndrome hémolytique et urémique (SHU).

La perquisition à l’usine de Caudry exploitée par Buitoni, propriété du conglomérat agroalimentaire suisse Nestlé, a été confirmée par une source policière et le parquet de Paris, qui mène l’enquête.

Nestlé France, dont le siège social à l’extérieur de Paris a également été perquisitionné, a annoncé le 18 mars un rappel des pizzas Fraich’UP concernées, et les autorités ont ordonné l’arrêt de leur production à Caudry après avoir effectué deux inspections d’hygiène.

Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, est le principal cabinet d’avocats du pays représentant les victimes d’épidémies d’E. coli et du syndrome hémolytique et urémique (SHU). Les avocats E. coli de Marler Clark ont ​​représenté des milliers de victimes d’E. coli et d’autres maladies d’origine alimentaire et ont récupéré plus de 800 millions de dollars pour leurs clients. Marler Clark est le seul cabinet d’avocats du pays dont la pratique se concentre exclusivement sur les litiges liés aux maladies d’origine alimentaire. Nos avocats E. coli ont plaidé des cas d’E. coli et de SHU résultant d’épidémies liées au bœuf haché, au lait cru, à la laitue, aux épinards, aux germes et à d’autres produits alimentaires. Le cabinet d’avocats a intenté des poursuites contre E. coli contre des sociétés telles que Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill et Jimmy John’s. Nous avons fièrement représenté des victimes telles que Brianne Kiner, Stephanie Smith et Linda Rivera.