The USDA has sent a letter to Foster Farms, threatening to shut down three of the company's facilities if significant corrective changes aren't made by Thursday, October 10, 2013. The company's products are associated with a Salmonella Heidelberg outbreak, the second this year, that has sickened at least 278 people in 17 states. The letter states, "This letter serves as an official notification by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), Alameda District, of the intent to withhold the marks of inspection and suspend the assignment of inspectors for the Slaughter, Raw Intact and Raw Non Intact processes at your establishment. This action is based on your establishment's failure to operate in a manner that is consistent with the requirements of the Hazard Analysis and Critical … [Read more...]
Salmonella Outbreak in Alabama at Bean Dinner Fundraiser
Several news outlets are reporting that a Salmonella outbreak in Limestone County, Alabama is associated with an annual bean dinner fundraiser in Athens at the First Baptist Church Family Life Center, held by the Limestone County Foundation on Aging. At least six people have been confirmed ill with the pathogenic bacteria. The dinner was held on Friday night, October 4, 2013. The hospital then saw "dozens of people" over the weekend with symptoms including diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. The Alabama Department of Public health is now involved and will testing food that is left over from the meal. If you were at that dinner, monitor yourself for the symptoms of a Salmonella infection, which include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea that may be bloody, and abdominal cramps. The incubation … [Read more...]
Mexican Restaurant Salmonella Outbreaks in Illinois, Kentucky
Public health officials in Illinois and Kentucky are investigating separate outbreaks of Salmonella associated with independent Mexican restaurants. Combined, the Hacienda Don Villo outbreak in Channahon, Illinois, and the Casa Mexicana outbreak in Madisonville, Kentucky, have sickened about 50 people. In Kentucky, one of the outbreak patients has died. “Every outbreak of Salmonella carries the prospect of life-long illness for unsuspecting families,’’ said Fred Pritzker, founder of national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen Attorneys. Pritzker said too many people downplay the burdens of Salmonella infection, which can trigger an assortment of long-term illness in some patients. In others, Salmonellosis resolves itself with no medical attention and the illness is over. Studies … [Read more...]
Lawyer Represents Victim of Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Hacienda Don Villo in Channahon, Illinois
A Salmonella outbreak was declared after people started getting sick after eating at Hacienda Don Villo, a Mexican restaurant in Channahon, Illinois.shortly after eating in mid-September and required several hospital visits. Over 34 people have complained of stomach pain after eating at the restaurant, according to Philip Jass, Health Administrator with the Grundy County Health Department. The county has completed the first round of Salmonella testing on employees of the restaurant. One employee tested positive for Salmonella poisoning. Restaurants are legally responsible for illnesses linked to their food. Whether the food was contaminated prior to reaching the restaurant or at the restaurant does not change their duty to provide safe food. The county is also having stool samples … [Read more...]
Source of NC Salmonella Outbreak: All American Grill at Holiday Inn Bordeaux
Public health officials at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and the Cumberland County Department of Public Health have released the final report on the Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The outbreak was first reported in May 2013. To investigate this outbreak, officials interviewed sick people, took environmental samples for testing, and collected stool specimens. A total of 100 cases were identified during the outbreak; 25 were confirmed by lab analysis and 75 were probable. All isolates available for PFGE analysis had identical patterns. Illness onset dates ranged from May 1 to May 17, 2013. The age range of patients was from 17 to 81 years. Eight people were hospitalized as a result of their … [Read more...]
After Salmonella Outbreak, Iguana Joe’s Restaurant Passes Inspection
The Iguana Joe's restaurant at 18319 West Lake Houston Parkway in Humble, Texas has passed inspection after being closed for a Salmonella outbreak in June. No violations were found in the inspection conducted on June 29, 2013, although there is no word on whether or not the restaurant has reopened. But on several occasions earlier in the month, inspections revealed many food safety issues. An inspection on June 21, 2013 found violations of Good Hygienic Practices. On June 22, 2013, 29 demerits were issued; a number above 20 is "of concern", according to the Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services Department. Those violations included cross-contamination of raw and cooked foods and violations of Good Hygienic Practices, as well as failure to rapidly reheat foods safely. … [Read more...]
Cucumber Salmonella Outbreak Over According to CDC
The Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak linked to imported cucumbers has ended, according to the CDC. A total of 84 people in 18 states were infected with the outbreak strain of the bacteria. Seventeen people, or 28%, were hospitalized in this outbreak. The case count of the outbreak by state is as follows: Arizona (11), California (29), Colorado (2), Idaho (2), Illinois (3), Louisiana (1), Maryland (1), Massachusetts (1), Minnesota (9), Nevada (1), New Mexico (2), North Carolina (3), Ohio (3), Oregon (2), South Dakota (2), Texas (7), Virginia (3), and Wisconsin (2). Illness onset dates ranged from January 12, 2013 to April 28, 2013. The ill persons ranged in age from less than 1 year to 89 years, with a median age of 27 years. Sixty-two percent of ill persons were female. Public … [Read more...]
Holiday Inn Salmonella Food Poisoning Victims File Lawsuits
Two of 99 Salmonella food poisoning victims have filed lawsuits against the Holiday Inn Bordeaux, a North Carolina hotel, and Aromas Hotels LLC. The lawsuits, filed in Cumberland County Superior Court, allege the women, both residents of Fayettevelle, NC contracted Salmonella infections after eating at the Cafe Bordeaux in the hotel at 1707 Owen Drive. The lawsuits (case numbers 13 CVS 4175 and 13 CVS 4176) seek compensation for the women, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other damages. Both women are part of the Salmonella outbreak associated with eating food prepared in the Holiday Inn Bordeaux kitchen on May 7-8. The food was served on the premises at banquets, in the Cafe Bordeaux and in the All American Sports Bar and Grill, … [Read more...]
Firefly Salmonella Outbreak Likely Caused by Chorizo
The Southern Nevada Health District has released a new report on the Salmonella outbreak linked to the Firefly on Paradise tapas restaurant in Las Vegas. They say that "the outbreak strain of Salmonella was isolated from cooked chorizo," a type of spicy sausage. That outbreak has now sickened at least 294 people, far more than the 200 ill persons in the last report. The Salmonella serotype I:4,5,12:i- responsible for this outbreak doesn't match any other Salmonella cases in the entire country. Seventy-three cases are confirmed as part of the outbreak through DNA testing; the others are considered "probable". The chorizo arrived at the restaurant uncooked and was cooked on site. No raw chorizo was available for testing. The chorizo was one of the foods identified in an earlier report as … [Read more...]
Holiday Inn Bordeaux Salmonella Outbreak Sickens 70 People
The Cumberland County Department of Public Health has updated the Salmonella outbreak associated with the Holiday Inn Bordeaux in Fayetteville, NC. Now 70 people are ill with the signs and symptoms of a Salmonella infection. Fifty-eight of the ill are from North Carolina and 12 are from out of state. Five people have been hospitalized. Public health officials are still asking anyone who ate at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux's restaurants, the All American Sports Bar and Grill and the Cafe Bordeaux, and who became ill to contact them at 910-433-3638. Your case could help solve the outbreak investigation. Any new cases in this outbreak got sick before May 14, 2013, which indicates that control measures put in place at the restaurants seems to be working. The Health Department has set up a … [Read more...]
