January 27, 2010

Company issues recall for 1.2 million pounds of salami

A meat company has issued a product recall for 1.24 million pounds of pepper-coated salami on Saturday. The product recall comes after a lengthy multistate investigation of a salmonella outbreak. Interestingly, the investigation included comparing shopping receipts of those people who got food poisoning. The outbreak has sickened 184 people in 38 states. Eating food contaminated with salmonella can cause salmonellosis, a potentially life threatening bacterial foodborne illness. The recalling company has set up a hot line for consumers or distributors – (888) 345-4160.

For more information on the salami recall, click here.

January 8, 2010

$1 million seized from food processing plant

Drawing national media attention, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized $1 million in food from a plant this week. The FDA marshals seized bulk food restaurant contaminated products in value of more than $1 million after inspectors discovered signs of rodent infestation. One publication reported that the officials seized all foods that are regulated by the FDA, including rice, fresh produce, and frozen food products. Reports indicated that the company had initially received a warning letter and a follow-up inspection found additional indicators of contamination.

Click here to read more about the food seized from the food processing plant.

December 28, 2009

New York Times: The 76 Million Food Victims

A recent editorial in the New York Times highlighted an issue that the Levin & Perconti product liability attorneys have frequently blogged about – food safety. It seems as though in recent years, we have had constant reminders of weaknesses in our nation’s food safety system. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”), 76 million cases of food-related illnesses are reported every year, with over 300,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 wrongful deaths.

Continue reading "New York Times: The 76 Million Food Victims" »

December 10, 2009

Chicken contains harmful bacteria

A consumer reports study recently released reported that the majority of chicken contains harmful bacteria. According to the product liability study, almost two-thirds of raw store-bought chicken contain potentially dangerous pathogens like salmonella and campylobacter. This number of contaminations has actually dropped from two years ago. But, it is an eye-opener for consumers nonetheless.

Continue reading "Chicken contains harmful bacteria" »

November 26, 2009

Avoid food poisoning at Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time for food, fun, friends and family. The attorneys at Levin & Perconti want to wish all of our readers and their families a Happy Thanksgiving! Although we all want to enjoy our time eating and relaxing with friends and family, we do need to recognize the dangers of food poisoning in the kitchen. Nobody wants a delicious meal to make them or their guests ill. Small mistakes in the kitchen can lead to foodborne illness.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has estimated that 76 million Americans get food poisoning yearly. This food poisoning leads to approximately 5,000 deaths every year.

Continue reading "Avoid food poisoning at Thanksgiving" »

November 9, 2009

Two deaths linked to E.coli poisoning

E. Coli kills two people and sickens many. Ground beef may be responsible for the recent E.coli outbreak linked to illness in more than two dozen people. The suspect beef was produced by Fairbank Farms, which issued a voluntary recall Saturday for 545,699 pounds of ground beef products.

To read more about the deaths linked to E.coli poisoning.

October 23, 2009

Safe trick-or-treating tips for Halloween

Food poisoning and other product liability risks are constant worries for parents around Halloween. Be sure to inspect all candy before eating any of it. Plus, only give and take packaged or wrapped candy.

To read more Halloween safety tips.

October 21, 2009

Fall eating safety tips

Fall is the season for canned cooking and, unfortunately, also the season for botulism food poisoning. To avoid botulism, be sure to thoroughly cook your food and follow cooking instructions. Avoid swelling containers, those with bulging lids, unusual odors, or odd colors.

To read more fall eating safety tips.

October 17, 2009

Larry King focuses on ground beef safety

Monday night’s “Larry King Live” explored the food poisoning linked to ground beef contaminated with E. coli bacteria. It has sickened, paralyzed, and even killed some people.

To read more about the Larry King ground beef story.

October 7, 2009

Watch what you eat: ground beef

The New York Times recently addressed a food poisoning issue that is cause for concern. The article reported that eating ground beef is a gamble because neither the system meant to make the meat safe nor the meat itself is what consumers have been led to believe. The are no federal requirements for grinders to test ingredients for E. coli.

To read more about the ground beef concern.

September 25, 2009

Federal agencies at fault for lag-time on school lunch food recalls

A recent Government Accountability Office report found that federal agencies that supply food for 31 million schoolchildren do not insure that tainted products are quickly pulled from cafeterias. Delays such as those found raise the risk of children being sickened by contaminated food.

To read more about the GAO report.

September 9, 2009

85 year-old woman suing after E. coli outbreak

An 85 year-old woman is suing the growers, packers, distributors and sellers of spinach involved in a deadly 2006 E. coli outbreak. The personal injury plaintiff states that she almost died after eating spinach in 2006. She suffered renal failure, a stroke, cognitive impairment, a collapsed lung, and a pulmonary embolism.

To read more about the E. coli lawsuit.

August 13, 2009

Health officials confirm illnesses tied to recalled ground beef

Health officials in three states have reported that at least 28 people had reported personal injuries tied to the recalled ground beef that might be tainted with salmonella. The beef was recalled by Beef Packers Inc. of Fresno.

To read more about the recalled beef illnesses.

August 2, 2009

House set to vote on food safety bill

The House is expected to vote on a multibillion-dollar food safety bill, touching ever facet of the U.S. food supply chain. The bill’s full impact is not known yet, but consumers are supposed to be safer.

To read more about the House food safety vote.

July 16, 2009

Instant oatmeal linked to tainted milk products recall

Instant oatmeal has been recalled – the latest product in the latest in a string of nationwide product recalls. The product recalls are linked to salmonella-tainted ingredients distributed by Milk Products Cooperative of Minnesota. Other recalls include hot chocolate mix and some popcorn toppings.

To read more about the instant oatmeal recall.

July 12, 2009

FDA and USDA announce broad food safety initiatives

The Obama administration has ordered new action to improve the nation’s food supply and reduce outbreaks of salmonella and E. coli. The rules call for better coordination between agencies, such as the FDA and USDA. The rules aim at reducing salmonella infections from raw or undercooked eggs by 60%.

To read more about the food safety initiative.

July 11, 2009

Personal injury lawsuit filed after boy falls ill from beef

A boy who became ill after eating sirloin has filed a personal injury lawsuit seeking damages against the beef company. The boy developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure, after eating shish kabobs made from the meat.

To read more about the personal injury lawsuit.

July 6, 2009

Restaurant patron files salmonella personal injury lawsuit

A personal injury lawsuit filed against a restaurant alleges that the plaintiff got sick with salmonella for about eight days after eating an entrée. The personal injury plaintiff is asking the court for $25,000 in personal injury damages.

To read more about the salmonella personal injury lawsuit.

July 3, 2009

Illinois recall alert: Kroger recalls ground beef

Kroger has recalled ground beef sold in some of its grocery store because of possible E.coli contamination. Illinois stores where ground beef may be recalled include Food 4 Less and Fry’s. The attorneys at Levin & Perconti want you to be careful and look at warnings when you are grocery shopping, especially over the holiday weekend!

To read more about the Illinois beef recall.

June 14, 2009

House subcommittee clears FDA food regulation bill

After a unanimous voice vote in a House subcommittee, the House took an initial step toward passing legislation supporting the nation’s food-safety system. This could help prevent food poisoning situations like the recent salmonella peanut outbreak.

To read more about the food regulation bill.