Health Law

Recent foodpoisoning events

By Drew Falkenstein

Caldwell sprouts salmonella outbreak:

Sprouts from Caldwell Fresh Foods, of Maywood, California, have caused approximately 22 illnesses in multiple states, including 11 in its home state of California. The outbreak strain of Salmonella is Salmonella Newport, and the implicated sprouts, which were widely distributed to retailers nationally, have been recalled.

Fresh Express salmonella outbreak:

Health departments in the 'Upper-Midwest' investigated and confirmed a link between several Salmonella illnesses and the consumption of lettuce products from Fresh Express, a subsidiary of Chiquita Brands International Inc.

Freshway O145 outbreak:

In the last month, the FDA, CDC, and state health departments nationally have been investigating an E. coli O145 outbreak that has sickened some 30 people in Michigan (11 confirmed and 2 probable), New York (5 confirmed and 2 probable), Ohio (8 confirmed and 3 probable), Pennsylvania (1 confirmed), and Tennessee (1 confirmed). The outbreak has been linked to Fresh Way Foods, which purchased romaine lettuce from Andrew Smith Co., who distributed the romaine lettuce from a Yuma, Arizona farm, which has not been named.

Los Dos Amigos:

Los Dos Amigos, a mexican restaurant in Roseburg, Oregon, was the site of a large salmonella outbreak in April. Douglas County health officials report that at least 30 people suffered culture-confirmed salmonella foodpoisoning illnesses, and that cross-contamination was probably a cause of the outbreak.

Casa Lopez:

The salmonella outbreak at an "Athens Ohio restaurant" is reported to be Casa Lopez on East State Street. WSAZ reported today that at least 41 people have "come down with salmonella poisoning after eating at [Casa Lopez," and that health officials are waiting on test results from 15 other cases.

Utah raw milk outbreaks:

Utah health officials have linked two outbreaks—one campylobacter and one salmonella—to the consumption of raw milk. The campylobacter outbreak is linked to raw milk purchased from Ropelato Dairy in Ogden, Utah, and has resulted in at least 9 illnesses in residents of Weber, Davis, and Cache counties. On Monday, the Utah Department of Health suspended Ropelato Dairy's permit to sell raw milk. Coliform testing done on milk at the dairy showed high coliform counts, which suggest the presence of disease-causing bacteria, like campylobacter, in the milk.

The second raw milk outbreak in Utah (a salmonella outbreak) sickened at least 6 people in late April in Utah, Salt Lake, and Wasatch Counties. The outbreak was linked to raw milk from Redmond Farms in Sevier County. Samples of raw milk produced at the dairy from April 5 to April 22 tested positive for Salmonella.

Full post as published by Food Poison Blog on May 25, 2010 (boomark / email).