A team of E. coli food poisoning lawyers from Pritzker Hageman law firm met in Minneapolis today to urge all restaurants, food co-ops, grocery stores, deli operators, food trucks, lunch counters and other retailers to place warning labels on any food item containing raw sprouts. The attorneys reissued their nationwide call for mandatory consumer warnings on raw sprouts in the wake of two multi-state outbreaks in the first two months of 2016. One of the sprout outbreaks involves toxic E. coli and the other involves Salmonella. “We are calling for a mandatory consumer warning any place where raw sprouts are sold,’’ said attorney Fred Pritzker, founder and president of the firm, one of the very few U.S. law firms practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness … [Read more...]
CDC Updates E. coli Sprouts Outbreak in MN and WI
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Has updated their investigation into an E. coli O157 (STEC O157) outbreak in Minnesota and Wisconsin linked to recalled Jack & the Green Sprouts alfalfa and alfalfa onion sprouts products. Seven people are sick in Minnesota, and two in Wisconsin. Two people in Minnesota have been hospitalized, but no one has reported hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure. On February 25, 2016, Jack and the Green Sprouts voluntarily recalled all alfalfa and alfalfa onion sprout products. These products do not have a long shelf life, so hopefully consumers will not have them in their homes. If you do, throw them away and clean out your refrigerator with a mild bleach solution, then wash your hands thoroughly with soap and … [Read more...]
Unusual Advice for Those Who Bought Recalled Sprouts Linked to Outbreaks
Every time a food is recalled for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination, the advice from food safety experts is to clean out the fridge with a mild bleach solution, since that bacteria can grow at refrigerator temperatures. Now, the FDA is recommending that anyone who bought alfalfa sprouts from Sweetwater Farms LLC should do the same. Their advice is to wash the inside walls and shelves of the refrigerator, cutting boards, and countertops, then sanitize them with a solution of one tablespoon of chlorine bleach to one gallon of hot water; and dry with a clean cloth or paper towel that has not been previously used. Of course, cleaning your refrigerator regularly is important for food safety in general, but this advice is unusual with foods that may be contaminated with Salmonella … [Read more...]
Missouri Residents Sickened with Salmonella After Eating Sweetwater Sprouts
Three people in the state of Missouri have been sickened in the multistate Salmonella Muenchen outbreak linked to Sweetwater Farms raw alfalfa sprouts. Five ill persons have been hospitalized in this outbreak, but we don't know whether any of them are from Missouri. So far, thirteen people have been sickened so far. Collaborative investigations have indicated that alfalfa sprouts produced by Sweetwater Farms of Inman, Kansas are a likely source of this outbreak. Laboratory testing isolated Salmonella bacteria from samples of irrigation water and from alfalfa sprouts collected during a recent inspection at Sweetwater Farms. Test results on whether those bacteria are the outbreak strain are pending. Public health officials have interviewed twelve people and found that 10 of them, or … [Read more...]
Alfalfa Sprouts Recalled for Possible Salmonella Contamination
Leasa Industries Inc. of Florida is recalling 433 cases of alfalfa sprouts because they may be contaminated with Salmonella. Product details: LEASA Living Alfalfa Sprouts Use by date of 7/2/12 6 ounce clear plastic containers UPC number 75465-55912 Routine customer sampling revealed the presence of Salmonella in the product. The company is voluntarily recalling the product. No illnesses have been reported in connection with the consumption of this product. Salmonella infections can cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Those in high risk groups, including the very young, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with chronic illnesses can suffer complications such as infected aneurysms and arthritis. If you have purchased this product, please … [Read more...]
Cleveland Beansprouts Co. Recalls Alfalfa Sprouts for Possible Listeria
Cleveland Beansprouts Co. of Ohio is recalling all alfalfa sprouts because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. This bacteria can cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections to people with weakened immune systems. Pregnant women who contract listeriosis can suffer miscarriages and stillbirths. There are no lot codes or any other identifier on the product. The sprouts were distributed only in Ohio. The Ohio Department of Agriculture discovered the contamination under the USDA's Microbiological Data Program, which is set to be eliminated by the White House and Congress in FY 2013. If you have purchased this product, do not eat it; discard it in a closed container. … [Read more...]
