Tag: E. coli
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New York Lawmaker Introduces Legislation to Address Additional E. Coli Strains
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) has introduced a bill that would regulate six confirmed strains of E. coli that have largely been ignored given the notoriety of recalls involving meat and produce contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. Referred to by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as non-0157 STECs, the six strains are apparently estimated…
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E. Coli Plaintiff Settles with Cargill
A woman featured in a 2009 New York Times article that was part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning series on food safety has reportedly settled her claims against Cargill, Inc., which allegedly produced the E. coli-contaminated hamburger that left her paralyzed with neurological problems and kidney damage. Represented by plaintiffs’ attorney William Marler, Stephanie Smith is…
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FSIS Holds Meeting to Discuss E. Coli Traceability Standards
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) held a March 10, 2010, public meeting to discuss agency procedures “for identifying suppliers of source material used to produce raw beef product that FSIS has found positive for Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7.” FSIS announced the meeting as part of its ongoing efforts to…
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Cargill Admits Its Ground Beef Caused E. Coli Infection in Minnesota Dance Instructor
Cargill, Inc. has reportedly responded to a $100 million lawsuit by admitting that a beef patty it manufactured contained E. coli and caused plaintiff Stephanie Smith’s debilitating injuries. While not contesting strict liability, the company is denying that it was negligent. Its suppliers apparently certified that the product had been tested for E. coli and…
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FSIS to Hold Second Meeting on Improving Traceability System Regarding E. Coli
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) will hold a second meeting to discuss current product tracing systems for food intended for humans and animals. The March 10, 2010, meeting in Washington, D.C., specifically welcomes input on procedures for suppliers of source material used to produce raw ground beef products that test…
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Food Safety Advocates Call for Follow Up in E. Coli Testing of Ground Beef Constituents
According to a news source, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspectors, who test the meat and trimmings used in ground beef, deal with about 60 positive E. coli tests annually by taking steps to ensure that the tested meat does not reach consumers, but they apparently fail to conduct a full inspection to try to pinpoint…
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James McWilliams, “Beware the Myth of Grass-Feed Beef,” Slate, January 22, 2010
In this article, Slate contributor James McWilliams questions “the conventional wisdom among culinary tastemakers” that pasture-raised cattle does not harbor E. coli O157:H7 at the same levels as conventional livestock. “In fact,” he writes, “exploring the connection between grass-fed beef and these dangerous bacteria offers a disturbing lesson in how culinary wisdom becomes foodie dogma…
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DeLauro Urges Independent Review of USDA Inspection Practices
U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-Calif.) has called for an independent review of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) meat and poultry inspection system, citing the recent recall of approximately 864,000 pounds of beef possibly contaminated with E. coli. Issued by a Montebello, Calif.-based meat packing company, the recall involved ground beef products identified by USDA’s…