The Marler Clark Network

Deadliest Outbreaks - Salmonella - Bluebrook and Hillfarm 2% Pasteurized Milk 1985

Posted by Salmonella Attorney on February 03, 2012

The Salmonella category is vast and the choice was difficult. Ultimately we chose to go back to 1985 to the Bluebrook and Hillfarm 2% Pasteurized Milk outbreak. Salmonella Typhimurium was the serotype implicated in this outbreak. At least 6149 cases were reported of which 5770 were laboratory confirmed. At least nine deaths were attributed. The milk had been sold in supermarkets in several Midwestern states. Located in a Chicago suburb, the Hillfarm dairy was the sole supplier of milk to 217 supermarkets operated by the Jewel Food Stores chain in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Michigan. The dairy was owned by the Jewel company and had been producing milk since 1968. The outbreak prompted the company to cease all dairy production on April 9, 1985. The presence of a cross connection that could have exposed pasteurized milk to raw milk was suspected as the cause of the contamination in the dairy processing plant.

Link.

Taco Bell named as Link to Salmonella Outbreak

Posted by Salmonella Attorney on February 01, 2012

On January 19, 2012, the CDC announced that “Mexican-style fast food restaurant chain, Restaurant Chain A” was linked to a total of 68 consumers infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Enteritidis in 10 states. According to the CDC, the number of ill persons identified in each was as follows: Texas (43), Oklahoma (16), Kansas (2), Iowa (1), Michigan (1), Missouri (1), Nebraska (1), New Mexico (1), Ohio (1), and Tennessee (1). Today Oklahoma announced that the Mexican-style fast food restaurant chain, Restaurant Chain A is in fact, Taco Bell.

In response Taco Bell said in a statement that investigators found that some of the people who became ill ate at Taco Bell, while others did not. "They believe that the problem likely occurred at the supplier level before it was delivered to any restaurant or food outlet. We take food quality and safety very seriously," Taco Bell said.

You wonder how much Taco Bell pays for that kind of PR advice. Instead they should pay me for this that I gave freely to MSNBC:

"I think it just proves the point that it is always better to be transparent," said Bill Marler, a Seattle food safety lawyer who used his blog to lobby vigorously for the release of the name. "Taco Bell could have looked like a hero by coming out and saying that it was a supplier problem and they are going to work hard to make sure it never happens again."

Bad recordkeeping (i.e. no grind logs) prevents USDA from identifying source of Hannaford's Salmonella outbreak

Posted by Salmonella Lawyer on January 28, 2012

Hannaford's ground beef sickened at least 19 people in 7 states with an antibiotic resistant strain of Salmonella Typhimurium.  As has long been known, the investigation into the outbreak by USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service was complicated by the store's sloppy recordkeeping.  In fact, Hannafords stores did not track at all where the component parts of their ground beef were coming from, including the "trim," which are parts of other cuts of meat trimmed off during processing.  As a result, neither Hannafords, nor the USDA, nor the people who got sick in this outbreak will ever know the identity of the beef company that sold Hannafords the Salmonella-contaminated beef.

Leslie Bridgers at the Portland Press Herald wrote today:

Officials from the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service said Friday that they plan to close the investigation within a week.

The officials said Hannaford's "high-risk practices" for grinding beef were the barrier in their investigation, although those practices did not break any regulatory requirements and are probably used by other meat retailers.

And then there is the other reason that this outbreak is Hannaford's outbreak and nobody else's:

Daniel Engeljohn, assistant administrator of the Food Safety and Inspection Service, said it was not always clear from Hannaford's records when the stores were grinding the trimmings. Investigators found that Hannaford would grind trimmings and tube meat without cleaning the equipment in between, he said, raising the possibility of cross-contamination.

Engeljohn noted that there is a lower sanitary standard for the cuts of meat that are used for trimmings than there is for the ground beef that comes in tubes.

There is no requirement that equipment be cleaned between grinds of meat from different companies, Engeljohn said, but the USDA has told retailers for several years that it recommends it, along with more complete information in grinding logs.

A little self-policing would go a long way for Hannafords in the future.

Multistate Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak at Mexican restaurant chain

Posted by Salmonella Attorney on January 19, 2012

Today the CDC announced a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections, primarily in Texas and Oklahoma, all linked to a Mexican-style fast food restaurant chain known as “Restaurant Chain A.” 

The investigation was unable to identify a specific food item as the culprit, but data indicated that contamination likely occurred before the product reached Restaurant Chain A locations. The epidemic curve seen in the outbreak is consistent with those observed in past produce-related outbreaks—with a sharp increase and decline of ill persons that spanned one to two months. Ground beef was found to be an unlikely source due to the handling and cooking processes used by Restaurant Chain A.

This outbreak now appears to be over.

Public health investigators used DNA "fingerprints" of Salmonella bacteria obtained through diagnostic testing with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, or PFGE, to identify cases of illness that may be part of this outbreak. They used data from PulseNet, the national subtyping network made up of state and local public health laboratories and federal food regulatory laboratories that performs molecular surveillance of foodborne infections. The PFGE pattern in the outbreak has been seen before in PulseNet, and in the past typically caused 2-3 cases per month.

As of January 19, 2012, a total of 68 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Enteritidis have been reported from 10 states. The number of ill persons identified in each state with the outbreak strain was as follows:

  • Texas (43)
  • Oklahoma (16)
  • Kansas (2)
  • Iowa (1)
  • Michigan (1)
  • Missouri (1)
  • Nebraska (1)
  • New Mexico (1)
  • Ohio (1)
  • Tennessee (1)

Among persons for whom information was available, illnesses began on or after October 13, 2011. Ill persons range in age from <1 to 79 years, and the median age was 25 years old. Fifty-four percent of patients were female. Thirty-one percent of patients were hospitalized. No deaths were reported.

19 Sickened with Antibiotic-resistant Salmonella Burger from Hannaford Stores

Posted by Salmonella Lawyer on January 18, 2012

Hawaii, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont report illnesses.

Hannaford-map.jpgA total of 19 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium have been reported from 7 states. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: HI (1), KY (1), MA (1), ME (4), NH (6), NY (5), and VT (1). Among persons for whom information is available, illnesses began on or after October 8, 2011. Ill persons range in age from 1 year to 79 years old, with a median age of 44 years old. Fifty-three percent are male. Among the 15 ill persons with available information, 7 (47%) have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

Epidemiologic, traceback, and laboratory investigations conducted by officials in local, state, and federal public health, agriculture, and regulatory agencies linked this outbreak to eating ground beef purchased from Hannaford stores.

CDC issues final update in chicken livers Salmonella Heidelberg outbreak

Posted by Salmonella Attorney on January 11, 2012

The CDC issued its final update on the investigation into the 190 Salmonella Heidelberg illnesses linked to Schreiber Processing's "kosher broiled chicken livers."  The following are highlights of the outbreak investigation:

  • A total of 190 illnesses due to Salmonella Heidelberg with the outbreak pattern were reported from 6 states.
  • The number of ill persons identified in each state the product is distributed to is as follows: New York (109), New Jersey (62), Pennsylvania (10), Maryland (6), Ohio (2), and Minnesota (1).
  • Collaborative investigative efforts of state, local, and federal public health and regulatory agencies indicated that a product labeled as “kosher broiled chicken livers” is the source of this outbreak.
  • Contaminated "kosher broiled chicken livers" were recalled from grocery stores but may still be in consumers' homes.
  • Consumers should check their homes for recalled products and not eat them; restaurant and food service operators should not serve them.
  • This particular outbreak appears to be over. However, Salmonella is still an important cause of human illness in the United States.
Continue Reading...

Notable Salmonella Illness Outbreaks of 2011

Posted by Salmonella Attorney on December 23, 2011

Over at Outbreak Database, we have been keeping track of foodborne illness outbreaks – small and large – over the last 12 months.  Here are some of the more interesting Salmonella Outbreaks.

Don Julio Mexican Restaurant December 2011 – 59 Ill. A Salmonellosis outbreak was linked to eating at the Don Julio's Mexican Restaurant in Corinth, Mississippi. A food producer or supplier did not appear to be the cause. The food vehicle and the contributing factors were not described as of December 16.

Hannaford Hamburger Ground Beef December 2011 – 16 Ill.  On December 16, Hannaford, a Scarborough, Maine-based grocery chain, recalled fresh ground beef products that may have been contaminated with a strain of Salmonella Typhimurium. The recall resulted from an investigation into human illness. By December 20, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 16 ill persons with an indistinguishable PFGE pattern. Eleven of those individuals reported consuming ground beef. Seven individuals were hospitalized and no deaths have been reported. Ten of the fourteen case-patients reported purchasing ground beef at Hannaford stores in Maine, New York, New Hampshire and Vermont between October 12 and November 20. The Salmonella Typhimurium was resistant to several commonly used antibiotics.

Sunrise Commodities Turkish Pine Nuts October 2011 – 43 Ill.  A confirmed outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis was associated with eating Turkish pine nuts purchased from bulk bins at Wegman's grocery stores between July 1 and October 18. As of November 17, there were 43 cases, ranging in age from less than one year to 94 years of age. Some of the pine nuts were eaten as an ingredient in prepared foods, such as Caprese salad or asparagus with pine nuts. Among 40 ill persons for whom information was available, 28(70%)had eaten pine nuts or products containing pine nuts. Wegman shopper card records were helpful in identifying pine nut purchases. The outbreak strain of Salmonella Enteritidis was isolated from several consumer pine nut samples and from pesto made in a private home using the implicated pine nuts. Wegman's grocery stores are located along the east coast mostly in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Laboratory testing conducted by public health laboratories in several states identified the outbreak strain of Salmonella Enteritidis from at least five samples of Turkish pine nuts or pesto containing Turkish pine nuts.

Larry Schultz Organic Farms Eggs August 2011 – 6 Ill.  An outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis was associated with eating organic eggs produced by Larry Schultz Organic Farms, Owatonna, Minnesota. At least six illnesses were attributed to this outbreak. The illnesses occurred in adults and children in a seven-county metropolitan area surrounding Minneapolis, Minnesota. Five of the six cases reported eating the implicated eggs after purchasing them from grocery stores or co-ops. The eggs were distributed to restaurants, grocery stores, food wholesalers and foodservices companies in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan and were voluntarily recalled.

Evergreen Produce Alfalfa and Spicy Sprouts June 2011 – 21 Ill.  In late June, Idaho health officials announced an investigation into an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis suspected to be caused by the consumption of contaminated alfalfa and spicy sprouts. As of June 28, at least 21 cases were known in Idaho, Washington, Montana, North Dakota, and New Jersey. Six cases reported consumption of alfalfa sprouts obtained from a northern Idaho grower, Evergreen Produce, located in Moyie Springs, Idaho. On June 27, the Idaho Department of Health and the FDA recommended the public to avoid eating the sprouts while the investigation was underway. On July 1, Evergreen Produce voluntarily recalled its alfalfa and spicy sprouts.

Portillo's Restaurant Salad April 2011, Illinois – 36 Ill.  An investigation into an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium among patrons of Portillo's Restaurant in St. Charles, Illinois, was first announced on May 10, 2011. Cases were infected with a rare strain of Salmonella Typhimurium. There were 36 case patients meeting the case definition of which 19 were laboratory confirmed with S. Typhimurium. Cases resided in Kane, DuPage, Cook, DeKalb, Kenall and Will Counties. Two case patients lived in Minnesota but traveld to St. Charles in Kane County. An investigation was conducted by the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Kane County Health Department. Investigators concluded that a salad prepared at Portillos was the contaminated food item. They did not determine how the salad became contaminated with Salmonella.

DeFusco's Bakery, Salmonella Heidelberg March 2011 – 79 Ill.  On March 26, the Rhode Island Department of Health announced an investigation into an outbreak of Salmonella linked to recalled baked goods produced by DeFusco's Bakery in Johnston, Rhode Island. The products were first recalled on March 25 when it was discovered that the pastry cream used to fill zeppoles, a doughnut-like pastry, and the eclairs, had been stored at unsafe temperatures. On March 27, it was revealed that the bakery had stored finished zeppole shells in used egg crates, which could have led to cross contamination of the zeppole shells. The bakery goods from DeFusco's Johnston store were sold at all DeFusco Bakery locations, Crugnale Bakery locations in Providence, East Providence, North Providence, Cranston and Cumberland, Colvitto's Bistro in Narragansett, Sal's Bakery in Providence, and Focaccia World in Johnston. The zeppoles were also sold to American Bakery Supplies, a distributor, which in turn distributed the pastries to Roch's Market in West Warwick, Meal Works in Coventry, and Touch of Class Catering in West Warwick. Meal Works, a catering company, served the zeppoles on March 17 and 18 at the West Warwick Manor Senior Center, St. John and Paul Church in Coventry, Sparrow Point Senior Center in West Warwick, and Crescent Park Manor in Riverside. Two deaths were linked to the outbreak. One of the decedents had been a resident of the West Warwick Manor Senior Center.

Del Monte Fresh Produce Cantaloupe February 2011 – 21 Ill.  Del Monte Fresh Produce recalled whole cantaloupes after an epidemiologic link was found between the cantaloupe and an outbreak of Salmonella Panama. The cantaloupes were sold as a package of three through warehouse clubs in Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. The cantaloupes were grown in Guatemala.

Cargill Meat Solutions Ground Turkey February 2011 – 136 Ill.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert, on July 29, due to concerns about illnesses caused by Salmonella Heidelberg that associated with the use and the consumption of ground turkey. The alert was initiated after continuous medical reports; ongoing investigations and testing conducted by various departments of health across the nation determined an association between consumption of ground turkey products and illness. On August 3, Cargill Meat Solutions issued a recall of ground turkey products. The products subject to recall bear the establishment number "P-963" inside the USDA mark of inspection. On August 4, the Centers for Disease Control published their first outbreak summary. The Salmonella Heidelberg was multi-drug resistant, resistant to ampicillin, streptomycin, tetracycline, and gentamycin. The CDC began their investigation on May 23, after recognizing an "unusual clustering" of Salmonella Heidelberg cases. About the same time, routine surveillance by a federal food monitoring system found the same strain of Salmonella Heidelberg in ground turkey in stores. On July 29, the initial outbreak strain and a second, closely related, strain of Salmonella Heidelberg was isolated from a sample of leftover unlabeled frozen ground turkey from the home of an outbreak case in Ohio. Since February 27, 2011, a total of 23 ill persons were reported to PulseNet with this second, closely related, strain. Eighty-four ill persons were infected with the initial strain. The consumer product sample originated from the Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation establishment in Springdale, Arkansas. On September 11, Cargill Meat Solutions recalled an additional, approximately 185,000 pounds, of ground turkey contaminated with an identical strain of Salmonella Heidelberg that had led to the earlier recall on August 3. As of September 27, no illnesses had been linked to the additionally recalled, ground turkey products.

Agromod Produce Papayas January 2011 – 99 Ill.  Agromod Produce recalled papayas purchased prior to July 23 after an outbreak of Salmonella Agona had been linked to the papayas. The outbreak related illnesses began after January 16 and continued to occur over several months. On August 25, the Food and Drug Administration banned imports of papayas grown in Mexico because of widespread and ongoing salmonella contamination. More than 15 percent of fresh papayas entering the U.S. from Mexico were contaminated with Salmonella.

Schreiber Processing Company, MealMart Brand, Kosher Broiled Chicken Livers January 2011 – 179 Ill.  An outbreak of Salmonella Heidelberg was associated with eating broiled chicken liver or chopped chicken liver produced by the Schreiber Processing Company under the MealMart brand. As of November 16, 99 cases were identified in New York, 61 cases in New Jersey, 10 cases in Pennsylvania, 6 cases in Maryland, 2 cases in Ohio, and 1 case in Minnesota. Consumers believed that the product was fully cooked; however it was not. The product should have been heated before eating. The outbreak strain of Salmonella was found in samples of kosher broiled chicken livers and in samples of chopped chicken liver made from the same broiled chicken liver. In stores, “broiled chicken livers” are often re-packaged and sold in smaller quantities or are used to prepare chopped liver sold at deli-style establishments.

Hannaford Supermarkets Linked to Salmonella Typhimurium infections in Several States

Posted by Salmonella Attorney on December 20, 2011

A bit(e) of history of Antibiotic-Resistant Salmonella Outbreaks.

122011-map-tn.jpgHannaford, a Scarborough, Maine-based grocery chain, last week recalled an undetermined amount of fresh ground beef products that may be contaminated with a strain of Salmonella Typhimurium.

This recall was initiated due to concerns about illnesses caused by an outbreak of salmonellosis that may be associated with use and consumption of fresh in-store ground beef prepared in and purchased at Hannaford stores. The PFGE pattern associated with this outbreak is reported rarely in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have reported 16 ill persons with an indistinguishable PFGE pattern, and 11 of those individuals reported consuming ground beef. Seven individuals were hospitalized and no deaths have been reported. Ten of the 14 case-patients reported purchasing ground beef at Hannaford stores in Maine, New York, New Hampshire and Vermont between Oct. 12 and Nov. 20.

The outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium has initially tested resistant to multiple commonly prescribed antibiotics, including drug classes such as beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, and cephalosporins.

Here is a decade of history of Antibiotic-Resistant Salmonella Outbreaks:

Emmpak/Cargill Ground Beef 2002 - 47 Ill:  In early 2002, isolates of Salmonella Newport in New York State were found to be resistant to more than nine antibiotics and had a decreased susceptibility to the antibiotic, ceftriaxone. Since 1996, an increasing number of Salmonella Newport isolates had been found to be resistant to antibiotics. This particular strain of Salmonella Newport was referred to as SN-MDR-AmpC. Subsequent to the discovery of cases in New York, four additional states discovered cases sharing the same strain of SN-MDR-AmpC.

When the cases were investigated, it was found that consumption of undercooked ground beef was the only food that was significantly associated with a risk of infection. The risk of infection when undercooked ground beef eaten was over 50 times greater than when well-cooked meat was eaten.

A sample of ground beef provided by a case-patient was analyzed and was found to be contaminated with SN-MDR-AmpC. Traceback of the meat implicated Emmpak Foods Inc., a subsidiary of Cargill, Inc. Most patients had eaten lean, or extra-lean, ground beef.

This outbreak was the first to implicate ground beef as a source of SN-MDR-AmpC. It illustrated the spread of antibiotic resistance from animal products to humans.

Northeastern States Ground Beef 2003 - 58 Ill:  A cluster of Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 cases was found in the northeastern United States in late 2003. The strain was resistant to several antibiotics and was referred to as R-type ACSSuT. Illness was associated with consuming grocery store bought ground beef that was prepared at home as hamburgers.

Product traceback linked the cases to a single, large ground beef manufacturer that had previously been implicated in a multistate outbreak of a highly antibiotic resistant strain of Salmonella Newport in 2002. The meat processor produced much of the ground beef from culled cows.

On January 29, 2004, the USDA issued a reminder to consumers to cook beef thoroughly, but no product recall was issued. Related cases were found through April 2004. Cases were more likely than controls to have pre-existing medical problems.

Safeway Ground Beef 2007 - 43 Ill:  Safeway markets in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and New Mexico sold contaminated ground beef. A rare, drug resistant, strain of Salmonella Newport was isolated from the ill.

No recall was issued as the Food Safety and Inspection Service could not identify the specific "establishments, lots and products" that received the ground beef.

An alert was issued on December 21, 2007 that advised Safeway customers to refrain from eating ground beef that had been purchased between September 19 and November 5.

Beef Packers, Inc., Cargill, Ground Beef 2009 - 2 Ill:  In December, Beef Packers, Inc., owned by Cargill, recalled over 20,000 pounds of ground beef contaminated with a drug-resistant strain of Salmonella Newport.

The company issued an earlier recall in August 2009, due to contamination of ground beef with the same strain of Salmonella Newport. This contaminated ground beef was produced in September and was distributed to Safeway grocery stores in Arizona and New Mexico.

The Arizona Department of Health linked two illnesses to the ground beef.

Beef Packers, Inc., Cargill, Ground Beef 2009 - 40 Ill:  A Beef Packers, Inc. plant in California, owned by Cargill, distributed approximately 830,000 pounds of ground beef that was likely contaminated with Salmonella Newport. The beef was shipped to distribution centers in Arizona, California, Colorado, and Utah where it was repackaged into consumer-sized packages and sold under different retail brand names.

The contaminated beef contained a strain of Salmonella resistant to several commonly used antibiotics (called MDR-AmpC resistance). At least 40 people in nine states fell ill; at least 21 of the people lived in Colorado and five lived in California. Most people became ill during late June and early July, 2009.

Most of the ill in Colorado had purchased the ground beef at Safeway grocery stores. Ground beef was likely sold through other retail outlets as well.

Cargill is a privately held, multinational corporation whose business activities include production of crop nutrients, grain, livestock feed, agricultural commodities, and ingredients for processed foods.

King Soopers, Inc., Ground Beef 2009 - 14 Ill:  King Soopers, Inc., a supermarket chain, recalled approximately 466,236 pounds of ground beef that was linked to an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium DT 104 in the state of Colorado.

The beef had been distributed in the states of Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. The recall involved tray packs and chubs. The ground beef was produced on various dates ranging from May 23 to June 13, 2009. The Salmonella was resistant to many the antibiotics.

Jenny-O-Turkey Burgers 2010 - 12 Ill:  Jennie-O-Turkey Store, All Natural Lean White Meat Turkey Burgers were recalled on April 1, 2011, after an outbreak of Salmonella Hadar had been linked with the consumption of this product.

The turkey burgers were sold exclusively in 4-pound cartons through Sam's Club stores.

Consumer turkey burger samples in two states were confirmed to be contaminated with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Hadar.

The Salmonella Hadar is known to be resistant to several antibiotic drugs, including ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanate, cephalothin, and tetracycline. The Jenny-O Turkey Store is part of the Hormel Foods Company.

Cargill Meat Solutions Ground Turkey 2011 - 136 Ill:  The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert on July 29, 2011, due to concerns about illnesses caused by Salmonella Heidelberg associated with the use and the consumption of ground turkey. The alert was initiated after continuous medical reports; ongoing investigations and testing conducted by various departments of health across the nation determined an association between consumption of ground turkey products and illness.

On August 3, Cargill Meat Solutions issued a recall of ground turkey products. On August 4, the Centers for Disease Control published its first outbreak summary.

The Salmonella Heidelberg was multi-drug resistant, resistant to ampicillin, streptomycin, tetracycline, and gentamycin.

The CDC began its investigation on May 23, after recognizing an "unusual clustering" of Salmonella Heidelberg cases. About the same time, routine surveillance by a federal food monitoring system found the same strain of Salmonella Heidelberg in ground turkey in stores.

On July 29, the initial outbreak strain and a second, closely related, strain of Salmonella Heidelberg was isolated from a sample of leftover unlabeled frozen ground turkey from the home of an outbreak case in Ohio. Since February 27, 2011, a total of 23 ill persons were reported to PulseNet with this second, closely related, strain. Eighty-four ill persons were infected with the initial strain.

The consumer product sample originated from the Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation establishment in Springdale, Arkansas.

On September 11, Cargill Meat Solutions recalled an additional, approximately 185,000 pounds, of ground turkey contaminated with an identical strain of Salmonella Heidelberg that had led to the earlier recall on August 3.

As of September 27, 2011 no illnesses had been linked to the additionally recalled ground turkey products.

Schreiber Processing Company, MealMart Brand, Kosher Broiled Chicken Livers 2011 - 179 Ill:  An outbreak of Salmonella Heidelberg was associated with eating broiled chicken liver or chopped chicken liver produced by the Schreiber Processing Company under the MealMart brand. As of November 16, 99 cases were identified in New York, 61 cases in New Jersey, 10 cases in Pennsylvania, 6 cases in Maryland, 2 cases in Ohio, and 1 case in Minnesota. Consumers believed that the product was fully cooked, however it was not. The product should have been heated before eating. The outbreak strain of Salmonella was found in samples of kosher broiled chicken livers and in samples of chopped chicken liver made from the same broiled chicken liver. In stores, “broiled chicken livers” are often re-packaged and sold in smaller quantities or are used to prepare chopped liver sold at deli-style establishments.

Schreiber Kosher Broiled Chicken Livers Linked to 179 Salmonella Heidelberg cases in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio and Minnesota

Posted by Salmonella Lawyer on December 18, 2011

chickenlivers-label.jpgIn 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. Based on the previous 5 years of reports to PulseNet, New York and New Jersey would expect approximately 5 cases per month, but in June through August 2011, these states experienced approximately 30-40 cases a month. No sustained increase in the number of illnesses above baseline has been identified in other states. USDA-FSIS’s ongoing investigation determined that the “kosher broiled chicken livers” were distributed to the following states: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Minnesota, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Florida. As the investigation progresses, additional states may be identified.

From April 1 to November 16, 2011, a total of 179 illnesses due to Salmonella Heidelberg with this PFGE pattern were reported in states where the “kosher broiled chicken livers” were distributed. The number of ill persons identified in each state the product is distributed to is as follows: New York (99), New Jersey (61), Pennsylvania (10), Maryland (6), Ohio (2), and Minnesota (1). Rhode Island and Florida have not identified any cases linked to this outbreak during this period.

After 14 Ill with Salmonella, Hannaford Recalls Hamburger in Maine, New York, New Hampshire and Vermont

Posted by Salmonella Lawyer on December 15, 2011

hannaford-logo.jpgHannaford, a Scarborough, Maine-based grocery chain, is recalling an undetermined amount of fresh ground beef products that may be contaminated with a strain of Salmonella Typhimurium, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The products subject to recall are any size package of the following:

"73% Hannaford Regular Ground Beef"

"75% Hannaford Regular Ground Beef"

"80% Hannaford Regular Ground Beef"

"85% Hannaford Regular Ground Beef"

"90% Hannaford Regular Ground Beef"

"80% Taste of Inspirations Angus Ground Beef"

"85% Taste of Inspirations Angus Ground Beef"

"90% Taste of Inspirations Angus Ground Beef"

"85% Nature's Place Ground Beef"

"90% Nature's Place Ground Beef"

This recall was initiated due to concerns about illnesses caused by an outbreak of salmonellosis that may be associated with use and consumption of fresh in-store ground beef prepared in and purchased at Hannaford stores. The PFGE pattern associated with this outbreak is reported rarely in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have reported 14 ill persons with an indistinguishable PFGE pattern, and 11 of those individuals reported consuming ground beef. Seven individuals were hospitalized and no deaths have been reported. Ten of the 14 case-patients reported purchasing ground beef at Hannaford stores in Maine, New York, New Hampshire and Vermont between Oct. 12 and Nov. 20. No other product description is available at this time. As a result of on-going epidemiologic and traceback investigations, as well as in-store reviews, FSIS, working with the CDC and its state health partners, determined that there is a link between the Hannaford ground beef products and this illness outbreak. FSIS is continuing to work with CDC, public health partners in the affected states and the company on the investigation. FSIS will continue to provide information as it becomes available.