The ShopRite ground beef Salmonella outbreak is over after sickening at least 18 people in four states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That is an increase of two more patients since the last update on July 26, 2023.
The report states that most of the patients reported eating 80% lean ground beef before they got sick. Traceback did not identify a common source for the meat, although most people bought the ground beef at ShopRite stores in the northeastern United States.
The case count by state is: Connecticut (1), Massachusetts (1), New Jersey (11), and New York (5). The patient age range is from 0 to 97 years. Illness onset dates ranged from April 27, 2023 through July 6, 2023. Seven people were hospitalized because they were so ill.
Ground beef was the only common food people reported eating. Of the 16 people interviewed, 10, or 63%, said they ate ground beef. Nine said they bougtht ground beef from ShopRite stores in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York. Seven of those people specifically reported buying 80% lean ground beef products. Two people said they bought ShopRite ground beef but couldn’t remember the type.
Whole genome sequencing showed that the bacteria that made people sick were closely related genetically, which means that they likely got sick from eating the same food. The outbreak strain was found in a routine ground beef surveillance sample collected by USDA investigators in March 2023.
The outbreak notice included warnings about handling raw ground beef. Always handle it carefully, starting from the grocery store. Keep it away from other foods in the shopping cart and in grocery bags. Refrigerate it immediately when you get home, and keep it on the lowest shelf in the fridge so juices don’t drip onto other foods. Avoid cross-contamination when cooking, and wash your hands frequently. Use a food thermometer when you cook ground beef and always cook it to 160°F to kill pathogens. And refrigerate or freeze anything made with ground beef within two hours of cooking.
Symptoms of a Salmonella infection include a fever, chills, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, stomach pain, and diarrhea that may be bloody. While most people recover without medical care, some can experience complications after recovery that can include high blood pressure, reactive arthritis, and endocarditis.
If you have eaten ground beef, especially purchased from ShopRite stores in those states, and have been ill with those symptoms, see your doctor. You may be part of this outbreak.
If you have been sickened with a food poisoning infection, please contact our experienced attorneys for help with a possible lawsuit at 1-888-377-8900 or text us at 612-261-0856. Our firm represents clients in lawsuits against grocery stores, restaurants, and food processors. .
