Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director of Food & Water Watch, has issued a statement about the "remarkable recovery" of Foster Farms. Raw chicken from that company has caused a Salmonella Heidelberg outbreak, the second this year, that has sickened at least 317 people in 20 states and Puerto Rico. Earlier this week, the USDA's FSIS threatened to shut down three of Foster Farms' facilities for violations of their HACCP plans and problems with contamination. But just three days later, the USDA announced that Foster Farms will be allowed to continue processing chicken. Ms. Hauter states, "in just three days, USDA'S FSIS went from threatening to shut down Foster Farms due to serious food safety lapses to declaring last night that the company had made a remarkable recovery. The agency is … [Read more...]
Now 317 Sickened by Multidrug-Resistant Foster Farms Salmonella Chicken
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now says that 31 people in 20 states and Puerto Rico have been infected with seven outbreak strains of Salmonella Heidelberg. But no recall. That is an increase of 39 from the last update on October 87, 2013. Forty-two percent of ill persons have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. Seventy-three percent of patients are from California. Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback investigations by local, state, and federal officials indicate that consumption of Foster Farms chicken is the likely source of this outbreak. The case count by state is as follows: Alaska (2), Arkansas (1), Arizona (13), California (232), Colorado (4), Connecticut (1), Florida (4), Idaho (2), Kentucky (1), Michigan (2), Missouri (5), North … [Read more...]
Should Salmonella Victims Sue Foster Farms for Outbreak Linked to Chicken?
The hundreds of Salmonella victims sickened by Foster Farms chicken should not be left to bear the financial responsibility of the outbreak. The company allegedly produced chicken contaminated with antibiotic-strains of Salmonella Heidelberg. People who were sickened after eating this chicken have to pay medical bills incurred because of their illness. There may be good evidence linking the Salmonella Heidelberg infections to Foster Farms chicken. The epidemiologic evidence is persuasive. When health officials interviewed 132 people sickened in the outbreak, 105 of them (80%) reported eating chicken prepared at home in the week before becoming ill, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Of the 61 people in this group that had brand information, 48 (79%) … [Read more...]
Second Foster Farms Chicken Salmonella Outbreak in 15 Months
The large West Coast Salmonella outbreak associated with Foster Farms Chicken -- announced on Monday -- is the second big set of Salmonella poisonings associated with the brand in 15 months. The first outbreak, which began June 1, 2012, sickened 132 people in 13 states, according to the "final update'' provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in July of this year. That one was centered heavily in the Pacific Northwest: Washington, 57 cases; Oregon, 40; Alaska, 13; and California, 11, according to the CDC's Morbitity and Mortality Weekly Report dated July 12, 2013. Three months later, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service is issuing a public health alert warning the public that raw Foster Farms chicken from three plants is associated with 278 illnesses in … [Read more...]
Salmonella Saintpaul Outbreak Linked to Imported Cucumbers
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced an outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul that is linked to imported cucumbers. So far, 73 people in 18 states have been sickened. Fourteen people have been hospitalized. There are no deaths and no recall has been issued relating to this outbreak. On April 24, 2013, the FDA placed Daniel Cardenas Izabal and Miracle Greenhouse of Culiacán, Mexico on an Import Alert. That means cucumbers from those facilities will not be allowed into the United States unless the suppliers show they are not contaminated with Salmonella. There is no evidence that contaminated cucumbers supplied by those firms are still in the marketplace. The patients by state are as follows: Arizona (9), California (28), Colorado (1), Idaho (2), Illinois … [Read more...]
Largest Multi-State Food Poisoning Outbreaks Of 2012: #1
A Salmonella outbreak linked to raw, scraped tuna was that largest multi-state food poisoning outbreak of 2012, based on the total number of people sickened. The outbreak, which was announced in April, sickened 425 people in 28 states and the District of Columbia. Produced in India and distributed in the US by Moon Marine USA Corporation, the raw, yellowfin tuna product, known as Nakaochi Scrape, is tuna backmeat that is scraped from the bones of tuna. It looks like raw ground tuna and is used in sushi, sashimi, ceviche, and other dishes. Those sickened ranged in age from less than 1 year to 86 years old. The median age was 30. Sixty percent of case patients were female. At least 55 people were hospitalized. No fatalities were reported. There were two outbreak strains. Most … [Read more...]
