Health Law

A Dancer's Struggle with E. coli 0157:H7 from a Hamburger

By Marler Clark LLP

"I ask myself every day, ‘Why me?' and ‘Why from a hamburger?'

Michael Moss does an amazing job of exposing the underbelly of how our meat is produced in the United States.

E. coli O157:H7 is a deadly bacteria that nearly took Stephanie Smith's life.  Every day is a struggle for her now due to the ravages of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome.

Despite the odds, she promises to dance again. Read her story and see the videos the New York Times produced - "The Burger That Shattered Her Life."

Cargill's Response:

"In October 2007 when we learned there may be a problem, we immediately instituted a voluntary recall. A number of people were sickened, including Ms. Smith. Our hearts go out to Ms. Smith and her family, as well as the others whose lives have been so affected by O157:H7. Cargill conducts nearly 400,000 tests for pathogens each year using a testing methodology that exceeds U. S. Department of Agriculture standards. We also require our suppliers to test using a methodology that exceeds USDA standards. A complete food safety system combines antimicrobial interventions, employee training and safe food-handling procedures with testing. The testing verifies the effectiveness of all of these procedures. Over the past 10 years, Cargill has invested $1 billion in ongoing meat science research and new food safety technologies and interventions. We are committed to continuous improvement in the area of food safety."

Full post as published by e.Coli Blog on October 08, 2009 (boomark / email).