Salmonella Blog - Surveillance & analysis on salmonella news & outbreaks

A Salmonella lawsuit was filed today on behalf of a Webster, New York woman and her child against New Jersey-based pine nut importer Sunrise Commodities. This is the fourth lawsuit the law firms have filed against the company.

According to a complaint (#11CV6618) filed in U.S. District Court in Rochester, Laurie Neff fell ill on October 21, 2011, days after consuming Turkish pine nuts purchased from a Wegmans Food Mart in Webster, New York. For ten days Miss Neff sustained gastrointestinal symptoms and on November 7 her child also began experiencing similar symptoms that worsened until the child was taken to the emergency room on November 10. Lab testing later showed that the child tested positive for Salmonella. The lawsuit alleges the Salmonella infection and related injuries suffered by the child were results of either consumption of pine nuts or her exposure to Miss Neff after she became infected with Salmonella after eating contaminated pine nuts.

Veronika Waterbury was helping her mother cook dinner over Labor Day weekend. They made pesto sauce, using pine nuts. Veronika also munched on the nuts as they cooked.

Then she ate the leftovers the next day. Within hours, she became violently ill.

Twice, the 16-year-old was treated in the Emergency Room for extreme pain, shakiness and dehydration. She lost weight. The sight of food made her physically ill.

A few days later tests revealed she had Salmonella. The leftover pesto sauce also tested positive for the bacteria.

But it was only after a massive recall of the pine nuts that Veronika and her mother learned their illnesses were linked to the tainted nuts.

Now they are suing the New Jersey Company that supplied the turkish pine nuts. They are asking for $75,000 in damages, for pain and suffering and medical costs.

Their lawyer, Paul Nunes, of Underberg and Kessler Attorneys, says this is about accountibility. He says the company that supplied the tainted pine nuts needs to pay for the negligence that caused these illnesses.

Veronika says she was on pain medication for weeks and still is cautious whenever she eats anything.

There are 20 known cases of Salmonella in Monroe County, linked to the turkish pine nuts.

According to the CDC, in August 2011, CDC identified a sustained increase in the number of Salmonella Heidelberg isolates with the outbreak strain reported to PulseNet from New York and New Jersey. From April 1 to November 4, 2011, a total of 157 illnesses were reported in New York (93 cases) and New Jersey (64 cases).

However, according to CIDRAP and efoodalert the numbers of ill and the states involved are different:

• 89 cases in New York State

• 64 cases in New Jersey

• Maryland health officials have received reports of nine cases linked to the outbreak, including seven adults and two children

• The Pennsylvania Department of Health (PDH) has confirmed seven outbreak-related cases that occurred from April through August

• Minnesota one

Let the counting begin.

A total of 129 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Heidelberg have been reported from 34 states.

Collaborative investigative efforts of state, local, and federal public health and regulatory agencies indicate that ground turkey is the likely source of this outbreak.

Contaminated ground turkey is being recalled from grocery stores but may still be in consumers' homes.

Consumers should check their homes for recalled ground turkey products and not eat them; restaurant and food service operators should not serve them.

The outbreak strain of Salmonella Heidelberg is resistant to several commonly prescribed antibiotics. This antibiotic resistance may be associated with an increased risk of hospitalization or possible treatment failure in infected individuals.

Timeline of Events: Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Heidelberg Infections Associated with Ground Turkey—United States, 2011:

Seven people in Oregon and Washington became ill with Salmonella in January after eating the Sprouter’s Northwest clover sprouts. The company subsequently recalled all its sprouts. A few days ago the FDA released 483 Inspection Report of the Sprouter’s Northwest facility.

Failure to take necessary precautions to protect against contamination of food and food contact surfaces with microorganisms and foreign substances. Listeria monocytogenes was found on the surface of a stainless steel table in the packing room, according to the report. The raw sprouts were stored in unlined plastic crates so the sprouts at the bottom were in contact with pallets and other totes, which previously had been in contact with the floor.

Failure to clean food-contact surfaces as frequently as necessary to protect against contamination of food. Food debris and residue was found in the hard-to-clean areas in and around the conveyor belt and sprouts that passed along and got briefly stuck in these areas could fall back into the rinse tank. Inspectors said it appeared that equipment and fixtures in the seed disinfection room were not cleaned between use.

Failure to clean non-food-contact surfaces of equipment as frequently as necessary to protect against contamination. Listeria seeligeri was detected on the surface of a brown mass of old, thick food grime on a cross-support place at the top of the rinse incline belt, the report stated.

Effective measures are not being taken to protect against contamination of food on the premises by pests. Inspectors said gaps at the bottom of a door and along the roof line could allow pests access to the facility. They said they found rodent excreta pellets in the warehouse and noted that the processing room was accessible from the warehouse.

Failure to properly store equipment, remove litter and waste, and cut weeds or grass that may constitute an attractant, breeding place or harborage area for pests, within the immediate vicinity of the plant, building, or structures.

Failure to maintain buildings, fixtures, or other physical structures in a sanitary condition

Failure to hold raw materials in bulk or suitable containers so as to protect against contamination.

Four to five bags partially filled with seed were stored open or not tightly wrapped inside the warehouse, the inspectors reported.