Ten days after the Minnesota Department of Health created a health bulletin about an E. coli O111 outbreak associated with Applebees, there have been no new public pronouncements about the precise cause of the food poisoning episode or whether it spread beyond the state's borders. To date, here is what Food Poisoning Bulletin has learned from various sources: 15 people -- two more than originally announced -- have been confirmed as case patients by the Health Department. 12 of the 15 people say they ate at an Applebees in Minnesota between June 23 and June 29. The nine Minnesota Applebees locations named by the Health Department as linked to this outbreak are in Woodbury, Willmar, Monticello, Bemidji, New Hope, Duluth, Roseville and two locations in Blaine. Anyone who ate at a … [Read more...]
E. coli Outbreak on Fond du Lac Reservation
An E. coli outbreak has sickened between six and 12 members of the Fond du Lac band of Lake Superior Chippewa on the reservation in northeastern MN near Cloquet, about 20 miles west of Duluth. Health authorities say they have not yet determined the food source of the outbreak or the specific bacterial strain. The Minnesota Department of Health is currently investigating an E.coli O111 outbreak in the Twin Cities area. That outbreak has sickened at least 15 people, some of whom ate at Applebee's restaurants between June 23 and June 29 before becoming ill. Four of those sickened in the Twin Cities area were hospitalized and are recovering. Labs do not normally test for E. coli O111, a less common strain of the bacteria, so some cases may not yet be diagnosed. Symptoms of an E. coli … [Read more...]
E. coli O111: Harmful Bug in Spotlight at Minnesota Applebees
The Applebees E. coli outbreak in Minnesota has prompted a lawsuit and put a well-known but less prevalent type of pathogenic E. coli in the public spotlight this summer. E. coli O111 can be just as virulent as its better-known cousin, E. coli O157:H7, but it makes fewer appearances in outbreaks that are confirmed by public health officials. In fact, the pathogen doesn't show up in any multi-state E. coli outbreaks tracked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over the past decade, according to CDC data reviewed by Food Poisoning Bulletin. U.S. health records show the last time that E. coli O111 made a major splash in this country was August 2008 when one person was killed and another 340 people were sickened in a foodborne outbreak linked to Country Cottage restaurant in … [Read more...]
MN E. coli O111 Applebee’s Outbreak May Have Expanded
The E. coli O111 outbreak in Minnesota associated with Applebee's restaurants may have expanded to two other states, according to NBC News. The CDC has not released any information about this expansion, but is apparently investigating two more cases of the rare bacterial strain. Public health officials will not name the states where people are sickened until they have confirmed that the patients are ill with the same outbreak strain of E. coli bacteria. This strain of E. coli O111 has not been seen in the United States until now. Pritzker Hageman has filed a lawsuit against Applebee's on behalf of a young man who ate the Oriental Chicken Salad at a Woodbury restaurant in late June. The original report of the outbreak was released on Monday, July 14, 2014 by the Minnesota Department … [Read more...]
Fred Pritzker on Applebee’s E. coli O111 Outbreak
Noted food safety attorney Fred Pritzker, who is representing a young man sickened in the E. coli O111 outbreak associated with food served at Applebee's restaurants in Minnesota, has some thoughts on the topic. Early reports are that those sickened may have eaten the Oriental Chicken Salad served at the restaurants. That item has been removed from the menu. Pritzker said, "this is a significant outbreak for several reasons. The outbreak strain of E. coli, O111, is very rare and hasn't been seen in the United States before this occasion. Many labs don't test for this particular strain of E. coli, so many people who may have gone to the doctor could have been misdiagnosed and the outbreak could be much larger than first indicated." Second, the most likely culprit is a fresh vegetable … [Read more...]
Applebee’s E. coli O111 Lawsuit Filed by Law Firm
A law firm has filed a lawsuit against Apple Minnesota, LLC, dba Applebee's Neighborhood Grill and Bar on behalf of Keith Comstock. He was diagnosed with an E. coli O111 infection after eating at the Applebee's restaurant in Woodbury, Minnesota. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. Attorney Fred Pritzker and his team are representing Mr. Comstock. Mr. Comstock dined at the Applebee's restaurant on or about June 24, 2014. He ordered the Oriental Chicken Salad, which contained, among other ingredients, carrots, cabbage, and greens. About three days later, he began to suffer from the symptoms of E. coli O111 food poisoning and tested positive for the bacteria. He remained ill for several weeks. E. coli O111 is a foodborne pathogen that is very … [Read more...]
Applebee’s E. coli Lawsuit Was News After All Star Game
Television coverage of baseball's 2014 Major League All Star Game was immediately followed in the host city of Minneapolis with a news report of the first lawsuit in Minnesota's Applebee's E. coli outbreak. E. coli lawyer Fred Pritzker, whose law office overlooks Target Field in the city's downtown core, was interviewed at length by Fox 9 News in a story that immediately followed the game. Pritzker represents a young man from Woodbury, Minnesota, who is one of 13 confirmed victims of the outbreak. On the victim's behalf, attorneys at PritzkerOlsen P.A. sued Apple Minnesota LLC in United States District Court just hours before the first pitch was thrown in the All Star game. The case and the outbreak could have national implications because investigators suspect the outbreak could have … [Read more...]
Law Firm Retained in Minnesota E. coli O111 Outbreak
A Minneapolis law firm that represents food poisoning clients throughout the country, has been retained in the E. coli O111 outbreak associated with Applebee's restaurants in the Twin Cities. Keith Comstock, a young man who lives in the area, was sickened after he ate at the Applebee's restaurant in Woodbury. Noted food safety attorney Fred Pritzker said, "my firm has represented thousands of foodborne illness victims in hundreds of outbreaks across the country. Virtually all of them involve failure to follow the rules: FDA regulations and USDA regulations, industry guidelines, and worst of all, the offending company's own safety rules. The sad fact of this outbreak, like so many others, is that it's preventable; it should never have happened." E. coli O111 is not one of the … [Read more...]
Minnesota E. coli O111 Outbreak Sickens 13
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is investigating 13 cases of E. coli O111. All of the illnesses were caused by the same genetic strain, as determined by laboratory testing. The ill persons are not related, which indicates the illnesses result from a widely distributed food item. This genetic strain of E. coli O111 has not been seen in the United States until this outbreak. Seven of the people sickened reported to MDH that they ate at Applebee's restaurants in Minnesota between June 24 and 27, 2014, but the other cases have no apparent connection to the restaurant. The Applebee's restaurants involved in the outbreak are in Blaine, Duluth, Monticello, Roseville, and Woodbury. According to MDH, Applebee's is cooperating with the investigation and with public health … [Read more...]
