The illness toll continues to rise in a Salmonella outbreak linked to tainted chicken livers; 179 have reportedly fallen ill due to the Salmonella Heidelberg pathogen. The contaminated chicken livers were recalled in an action the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) deemed a Class I.

A Class I FSIS recall means that this is a health hazard situation in which there exists a reasonable probability that the use of the recalled product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death. (more…)

The Cargill turkey Salmonella outbreak that killed one and sickened nearly 130 people across 34 states since late February appears to still be sickening people. This, despite two massive recalls totaling more than 37 million pounds of meat.

MSNBC says that illnesses have been reported as recently as September 13, citing the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Of concern, say health officials, is that consumers might have potentially contaminated Cargill Meat Solutions Corp. poultry in their homes. The turkey chubs, patties, and other recalled products are often frozen and kept for months before consumption, MSNBC pointed out. (more…)

Salmonella in a sample of Cargill Inc. ground turkey recalled earlier this month has been confirmed to be a multi-drug resistant strain of Salmonella Heidelberg, Bloomberg Business Week said. Cargill recalled 185,000 pounds of potentially contaminated ground turkey over concerns the poultry was tainted with the dangerous pathogen that is resistant to four different antibiotics: Ampicillin, gentamicin, streptomycin, and tetracycline, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

In August, Cargill recalled another 35.7 million pounds of ground turkey from the same plant in Springdale, Arkansas. Both recalls were deemed Class I actions by the FSIS, which means that the recalls represent a health hazard situation in which there exists a reasonable probability that the use of the recalled product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death. (more…)

With as many as 16 people reportedly dead from potentially contaminated Colorado cantaloupes, the ongoing, multi-state, Listeria monocytogenes outbreak has become the deadliest in over 10 years.

At last count, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 72 illnesses, including 13 deaths, which are being connected to the contaminated produce, said The Associated Press (AP). Another three deaths are under investigation by state and local officials, the AP added. The figures were released yesterday, said the AP, and included new confirmation on 5 additional deaths in Kansas (1), Missouri (1), Nebraska (1), and Texas (2).
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The ground turkey Salmonella outbreak count continues to rise with, as of the most recent numbers, 111 people sickened in 31 states and, tragically, one death. At least 27 people have been hospitalized. The illnesses are linked to tainted turkey produced by Cargill Meat Solutions Corp. of Springdale, Arkansas.

On August 3rd, Cargill recalled a massive 36 million pounds of various types of its ground turkey in response to the deadly outbreak. (more…)

Following a massive recall of 36 million pounds of ground turkey implicated in a nationwide Salmonella outbreak, Cargill Inc. is now facing a second Salmonella lawsuit. Cargill has also restarted processing turkey on a limited basis at the Arkansas plant linked to the outbreak.

The outbreak associated with Cargill ground turkey sickened over 100 people in 31 states and involved an antibiotic-resistant Salmonella strain called Salmonella Heidelberg. Of the 107 people sickened, about 40 percent required hospitalization. One death was reported. (more…)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a public health alert saying contaminated ground turkey is the cause of an outbreak of salmonella food poisoning responsible for killing one person, reported MSNBC News.

Since March, at least 76 people in 26 states have become sick after eating ground turkey, which the Department says is linked to a genetic fingerprint of salmonella detected in fresh or frozen ground turkey consumed across the nation. (more…)

The family of an 81-year-old Texas man who died from a Listeria infection was awarded a $1.1 million default judgment against Sangar Fresh Cut Produce, reported the Houston Chronicle. In 2010, Hermillo Castellano was one of five deaths in a Listeria outbreak caused by cut celery produced by the company.

On Tuesday, State District Judge Barbara Nellermoe ruled in favor of Castellano’s family after Sangar failed to appear in court. (more…)

A hospital in Germany treating over 100 patients infected with E. coli claims the outbreak was caused by sprouts, says Bloomberg. The new strain of E. coli has devastated Germany, leaving 23 dead and 2,429 ill since May 2. Patients treated at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) revealed during interviews that they ate sprouts before becoming sick.

Joerg F. Debatin, medical director of the hospital said, “Sprouts are the most likely and credible explanation, and it wouldn’t be the first time.” (more…)

The rate of Salmonella infections has risen 15 percent since 2006, says a recent report. Despite the latest scare in European countries by the new E. coli strand which killed 22 people, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced illnesses associated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) have actually decreased by nearly half in the last 15 years.

The study published online in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report reported “of the 19,089 infections, 4.247 hospitalizations and 68 deaths from foodborne pathogens in 2010,” Salmonella infection was the most common and accounted for 2,290 hospitalizations and 29 deaths. (more…)