Taylor Farms is recalling Expo Fresh Roma tomatoes for possible Salmonella. The tomatoes were sold at Costco stores in: Los Angeles and Hawthorne, California; Tacoma and Lynwood stores in Washington, and Las Vegas. Only tomatoes packed on Sept. 5 or Sept. 6 are affected by the recall. The recalled tomatoes were also included in Sicilian Vegetable Salad served at deli counters at Safeway, Vons and Pavilions grocery stores in California, Nevada and Arizona. The salad kits had use-by dates of Sept. 20 and Sept. 21. Consumers who have purchased these products should not eat them. The problem was discovered during routine testing. No illnesses have been reported in association with the recall. … [Read more...]
Largest Multi-State Food Poisoning Outbreaks of 2013: #3
December 29, 2013 by
A hepatitis A outbreak linked to frozen mixed berries made by Townsend Farms and sold at Costco stores was the third-largest multi-state food poisoning outbreak of 2013. Between May and September, 162 people in 10 states were sickened by the berries. Contaminated pomegranate seeds in the berry mix were identified as the source of illness. Although the product was also sold at Harris Teeter stores, no one who became ill bought the product at Harris Teeter. Townsend Farms issued a recall for the Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend berries on June 4. On July 15, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) put Goknur Foodstuffs Import Export Trading of Turkey, the source of the tainted pomegranate seeds, on import alert, meaning that its shipments cannot be imported without proof … [Read more...]
USDA Official Recall of Costco Foster Farms Rotisserie Salmonella Chicken
October 13, 2013 by
The USDA has finally released an official recall notice about the Costco in San Francisco removing Foster Farms rotisserie chicken products from store shelves. This recall is happening because Salmonella is an illegal adulterant in ready-to-eat foods. It's not illegal to sell raw chicken contaminated with Salmonella, unless someone gets sick. But USDA is not recalling the raw Foster Farms chicken that has sickened 317 people in 20 states. The recalled Foster Farms rotisserie chicken products were sold at the Costco El Camino Real store in San Francisco, California. The products are 8,730 "Kirkland Signature Foster Farms" rotisserie chickens that are cooked and ready to eat. Also recalled are 313 total units of "Kirkland Farm" rotisserie chicken soup, rotisserie chicken leg quarters, and … [Read more...]
Townsend Farms Hepatitis A Outbreak Sickens 153; 66 Hospitalized
July 25, 2013 by
The Townsend Farms-Costco hepatitis A outbreak has now sickened 153 people in nine states. Sixty-six people have been hospitalized with acute hepatitis A. New Hampshire is now included in the case count. The case in New Hampshire reported exposure to the product after traveling to Nevada. The count of ill persons by state is as follows: Arizona (22), California (75), Colorado (27), Hawaii (8), New Hampshire (1), New Mexico (9), Nevada (6), Utah (3), and Wisconsin (2). Eighty five, or 56%, of the ill persons are women. The age range is from 1 to 84 years. Illness onset dates range from 3/31/13 to 7/9/13. No deaths have been reported. All ill persons who ate the recalled product bought it at Costco. The major outbreak strain of the virus, which is genotype 1B, was found in clinical … [Read more...]
Costco Townsend Farms Hepatitis A Outbreak: Imported Foods Involved in Outbreaks
June 4, 2013 by
The Hepatitis A outbreak associated with the Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Frozen Berry Blend sold at Costco stores has sickened at least 34 people in the U.S. The attorney for Townsend Farms has stated that the pomegranate seeds in the mix, imported from Turkey, are most likely responsible for the virus. How many imported foods have been responsible for foodborne illness outbreaks in this country in the last few years? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that outbreaks linked to imported foods are increasing. Other countries have looser regulations than our government, and Americans are eating many more imported foods. Almost half of the outbreaks from 2005 to 2010 were caused by implicated foods from areas that previously had not been associated with outbreaks. … [Read more...]
Townsend Farms Outbreak: Rare Strain Also Turned Up in European Berries
June 3, 2013 by
The rare strain of hepatitis A associated with frozen berries sold at Costco was also the source of a frozen berry hepatitis A outbreak in Europe earlier this year and in British Columbia in 2012. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state health departments, the strain hepatitis A genotype 1B has sickened at least 32 people in six states since the end of April. But because the outbreak was not announced until the end of May and because symptoms can take between two to seven weeks after exposure to develop, the case numbers are likely to increase. A hepatitis A vaccination can prevent illness if given within two weeks of exposure to the contaminated product. Anyone who has eaten these berries within the last two weeks should contact a health care … [Read more...]
Hepatitis A Strain in Costco Townsend Farm Berries Found in Middle East
June 3, 2013 by
The CDC states that the hepatitis A strain associated with Townsend Farms Anti-oxidant Blend Frozen Berry Mix sold at Costco is rare in the United States. The strain is usually found in North Africa and the Middle East. The berry mix contains strawberries, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, and pomegrnate seeds (also called arils). The fruit was grown in the U.S., Argentina, Chile, and Turkey. The attorney for Townsend Farms has stated that the pomegranate seeds may be the causal agent in this hepatitis A outbreak. They were sourced from Turkey, which is in the Middle East and is considered part of North Africa. This raises the question about imported food safety. This particular genotype of hepatitis A was linked to an outbreak in Europe in 2013 and an outbreak in British Columbia … [Read more...]
Hepatitis A from Costco Berries, Sickened Customers Contact Lawyers
June 1, 2013 by
The lawyers at Pritzker Hageman have been fielding calls all day from people with questions about hepatitis A from Costco berries. Pritzker and his team are representing Costco customers who contracted hepatitis A after eating Townsend Farms Organic Anti-Oxidant Blend, a berry mix with pomegranate seeds. This product has been implicated in a hepatitis A outbreak that has sickened over 60 people in 7 states. Townsend Farms issued a Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend recall on June 3. "Many people contacting us are unaware that a hepatitis A vaccination can prevent illness if given within two weeks of exposure to a contaminated product," said Pritzker. "We want consumers to know that they need to get to their doctors as soon as possible to find out if they need a vaccination." … [Read more...]
Townsend Farms Attorney Says Pomegranate Seeds Caused Costco Hepatitis A Outbreak
June 1, 2013 by
Townsend Farms frozen berries sold at Costco have been associated with an outbreak of Hepatitis A in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico, according to the CDC. Investigators have traced back the source of the outbreak to pomegranate seeds from Turkey that are in the Townsend Farms berry mix sold at Costco, according to Townsend Farms attorney William E. Gaar and the CDC. Preliminary studies of specimens from two people sickened in this outbreak suggest the outbreak strain of hepatitis A virus (HAV) is genotype 1B. This strain is rarely seen in the Americas but circulates in the North Africa and Middle East regions, according to the CDC. This same genotype was identified in a 2013 outbreak in Europe linked to frozen berries and another 2012 outbreak in British Columbia … [Read more...]
