Health Law

Salmonella Everywhere in 2009

By Marler Clark

 Safeway today announced a nine state recall of ground beef (825,769 pounds) due to fears that the meat may be contaminated with Salmonella Newport.  The recalled product was produced by Beef Packers Inc. (aka "Cargill").  This is just another outbreak/recall in what has turned into a year dominated by Salmonella woes.

Here are just a few recall/outbreaks that have occurred, thus far, in 2009:

http://www.foodpoisonjournal.com/2009/08/articles/food-poisoning-information/colorado-health-officials-identify-walmart-as-one-retailer-of-recalled-cilantro/

http://www.foodpoisonjournal.com/2009/07/articles/foodborne-illness-outbreaks/salmonella-lawsuit-filed-on-behalf-of-memphis-father-and-son-sickened-by-food-from-local-

bbq/http://www.foodpoisonjournal.com/2009/07/articles/food-poisoning-watch/georgia-peppers-recalled-in-ohio-new-york-and-massachusetts/

http://www.foodpoisonjournal.com/2009/07/articles/food-poisoning-information/north-dakota-salmonella-outrbeak-traced-to-unlicensed-caterer/ 

Of course, nobody can forget the now infamous Salmonella outbreak linked to products produced by the Peanut Corporation of America:

http://www.marlerblog.com/2009/02/articles/legal-cases/fdas-peanut-product-recall-list-hits-2750-and-fda-prepares-a-simplified-distribution-chart/

We've even seen Salmonella problems linked to turtles this year:

http://www.foodpoisonjournal.com/2009/06/articles/food-poisoning-information/baltimore-police-seize-turtles-linked-to-salmonella-risk/

But we've probably seen more Salmonella problems this year with alfalfa and other sprouts than anything else.  Remember, a very large outbreak, at least 235 confirmed victims ( and likely lots more unconfirmed victims), occurred in February, March, April, and May 2009.  This outbreak was ultimately linked to sprout seeds sold by Caudill Seed and Manufacturing, Co., out of Louisville Kentucky.  All the problems with sprouts caused me to wonder, Sprouts, Honestly:  Does it Get Any Risker?

What will the last 5 months of the year bring?

Full post as published by Food Poison Blog on August 07, 2009 (boomark / email).