Tag: E. coli
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New York Times Questions Safety of Ammonia-Treated Beef
The New York Times recently published an investigative report that questions the safety of beef processed with ammonia to kill E. coli and Salmonella. According to the article, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has exempted one company, Beef Products Inc. (BPI), from routine testing requirements since 2007 because the processor apparently claimed that its…
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DeLauro Urges Labels for Mechanically Tenderized Beef, Pork
Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) has responded to the recent recall of 248,000 pounds of blade-tenderized steaks by urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) “to require labeling that clearly identifies mechanically tenderized beef and pork products for all processing facilities, retailers and consumers.” USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued the Class I recall…
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E. Coli Plaintiff Seeks $100 Million from Meatpacker
Plaintiffs’ lawyer William Marler has reportedly filed suit against Cargill on behalf of the guardian of a woman allegedly paralyzed by consuming hamburger contaminated with E. coli. Stephanie Smith was profiled in a recent New York Times article; she is a former dance instructor who reportedly became ill in 2007, began having seizures and was…
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Additional Litigation Filed over E. Coli in Ground Beef
Plaintiffs’ lawyer William Marler has apparently filed a second lawsuit against New York-based Fairbank Farms for injury allegedly caused by consumption of E. coli-tainted ground beef. According to Marler, the suit has been filed in a Maine state court on behalf of a woman who was hospitalized for six days after consuming meat produced by…
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Congressman Requests Investigation into E.Coli Risk in School Lunches
The chair of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Education and Labor Committee has reportedly asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate the risk of E.coli contamination in school lunches. In a letter to GAO, U.S. Representative George Miller (D-Calif.) wrote that he remains “concerned about the safety of our nation’s food supply and whether…
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First Lawsuits Filed in Latest E. Coli Outbreaks Involving Ground Beef
Plaintiffs’ lawyer William Marler has reportedly begun filing lawsuits on behalf of families allegedly sickened in an E. coli outbreak linked to fresh ground beef processed by Fairbank Farms, which has recalled nearly 546,000 pounds of the product, mostly from retail outlets on the Atlantic coast and in the Northeast. According to news sources, two…
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CSI: Miami Features Foodborne Illness Investigation
A recent episode of CSI: Miami has reportedly drawn criticism from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and other trade groups for the show’s portrayal of a foodborne illness investigation. Titled “Bad Seed,” the October 20, 2009, installment of the popular CBS drama focused on a fictional outbreak that eventually led the crime scene investigators to…
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E. Coli Plaintiffs Seek to Certify Two Classes
Plaintiffs who brought personal and economic injury claims against Topps Meat Co. for an E. coli outbreak that led to the recall of more than 20 million pounds of ground beef in 2007 have filed a motion for class certification. Patton v. Topps Meat Co., No. 07-654 (W.D.N.Y., motion filed October 15, 2009). While the proposed…