US-PA-The Intelligencer-Key Salmonella Lawsuit Settled

A key lawsuit in the Sheetz Inc. bad tomato case has been settled out-of-court, according to an order issued by Blair County, Pa., President Judge Jolene G. Kopriva.

Widespread illness resulting from consumption of salmonella-tainted tomatoes sold at Sheetz stores led to the closing of Wheeling-based Coronet Foods Inc. in 2004. Coronet had supplied the tomatoes to the Sheetz chain.

Both Coronet and Sheetz have been cleared by federal investigators as the source of the contamination; however, both companies still can be sued by those who became ill because both companies distributed the contaminated food.

Sheetz has filed a lawsuit against Coronet, which, in turn, is seeking damages from its suppliers.

Altoona, Pa., resident Max Christian Anslinger filed a lawsuit against the convenience store chain after he became sick on what he claimed were tainted tomatoes in food he purchased at an Altoona Sheetz store in July 2004.

As it turned out, hundreds of customers in several states complained about the Roma tomatoes Altoona-based Sheetz received primarily from Coronet Foods of Wheeling…more..

US-MN-Minnesota Public Radio-Salmonella outbreak in Rochester sub shop traced to tomatoes

ROCHESTER, Minn. (AP) — The Olmsted County Public Health Services Department has traced a salmonella outbreak at a local sub shop in October to tomatoes that were contaminated before they reached the store.

Epidemiologist Larry Edmonson said studies showed the problem didn’t start in the Quiznos sandwich store where more than 20 customers and employees were sickened last month.

The store closed for a day to have a cleaning company sterilize its equipment, then reopened….more..

US-NJ-The Daily Journal-E.coli sufferer recovers; 2nd case ruled out

VINELAND — A city resident being treated for E. coli has recovered, and a second local suspected case of the food-borne illness has been ruled out, city health officials said Monday.It remained unclear Monday how the resident diagnosed with E. coli became sick.

“Our environmental investigators did go out and visit several sites, and there were no findings that were identified,” said Betsy Cubbage, communicable disease investigator for the city Health Department.

“This appears to be a single, isolated case,” she said.Health Department Director Dale Jones said last week that two people were hospitalized after they showed signs of the sometimes-fatal illness earlier in the week.

E. coli is an intestinal bacteria that can cause stomach cramping and tenderness, diarrhea and vomiting, and can lead to death in rare cases.

In the first case, the unidentified female diagnosed with E. coli has been discharged from the hospital, Cubbage said….more

US-CA-NBC 11 News-NorCal Companies Settle E. coli Lawsuit

SAN JUAN BAUTISTA, Calif. — More than a year after their two children were severely sickened by E. coli, a southeastern Wisconsin couple has settled their federal lawsuit with four California spinach companies.Details of the settlement were secret, but in court documents filed in 2006, lawyers for the family asked for more than $75,000 plus court costs.A family lawyer said Tuesday that parents Neil and Anne Grintjes of the Milwaukee suburb of Brookfield are just glad the matter is resolved….more

US-Meatingplace.com-Washington Beef water system operator under fire for E. coli incident

Washington state health officials allege that the water system operator at a Toppenish, Wash., beef plant took at least four days to caution workers against drinking water potentially contaminated with E. coli, the Yakima Herald reported.

The Department of Health has issued a notice of intent to suspend the license of Sherry Byers-Eddy, water system operator at AB Foods Washington Beef, whose water supply was found to have contained E. coli in June. (See Washington Beef water contains coliform bacteria on Meatingplace.com, June 14, 2007.)

The state contends Byers-Eddy waited too long to post warning signs and cover drinking fountains at the plant, which employs some 800 people. “Water system operators are on the front line of public health protection, and we expect them to take that responsibility seriously,” Denise Clifford, director of the Office of Drinking Water, said in a press release….more

Canada-The Province-Stay away from illegal fish sold over Internet

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans is warning consumers not to eat fish and shellfish bought from unauthorized sellers over the Internet.

Fishery officers say a recent investigation showed the potential for high levels of E. coli bacteria in the seafood being sold online.

The DFO warns that improper storage and processing of the fish, sold recently in the Lower Mainland, could have tainted the product..more..

Canada-The Barrie Exaaminer-University apologizes for salmonella poisoning that sickened 85 people

LONDON, Ont. – The University of Western Ontario has taken the unusual step of apologizing for a salmonella food poisoning outbreak.

The outbreak, which was traced to a campus eatery called the Pita Pit, began almost three weeks ago and left at least 85 people ill.

University executive Susan Grindrod calls the outbreak a “terrible thing” and says the school feels “very badly for our community.”

In a statement released late Tuesday, the university said its apology was to the Western community and specifically to those who became ill.

Advertisements with the apology are being placed in both the student newspaper and the university’s own papers.

Grindrod says the outbreak is the first of its kind at Western in at least 25 years, despite the university serving six million customers a year.

US-WA-Yakima Herlad Republic-Woman sues over tainted pies

A Yakima woman who claims she was sickened by a salmonella-tainted pot pie filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the manufacturer, joining dozens of plaintiffs across the country.

Renee Barnes filed the lawsuit against ConAgra Foods of Omaha, Neb., in Yakima County Superior Court.

Bill Marler, a Seattle attorney who focuses on food safety cases, said Barnes’ case is among 40 that he is handling related to the ConAgra outbreak, which federal health investigators say sickened about 270 people in the United States.

ConAgra has tied the salmonella cases to turkey pot pies produced over two days at a Missouri plant. The company, which has apologized to customers, manufactures prepared dinners under the Banquet brand and other private labels.

ConAgra said it has improved safety measures, but Marler said Barnes and other victims deserve compensation for their medical treatment…more..

US-VA-Progressive Grocer-FMI Supports FDA/USDA Authority To Mandate Recalls

ARLINGTON, Va. – In the wake of high-profile recalls over the past 18 months, the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) here said yesterday it is affirming its support to grant the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) the authority to mandate a recall when a company refuses or delays voluntarily recalling a product that the agencies deem to pose an imminent and substantial health risk or death to humans or animals.

FMI said granting the FDA and the USDA authority to mandate recalls should be used to enhance systems currently in place and foster clear and accurate communication….more..

US-Meatingplace.com-WWFE wrap-up: Methods, materials and programs to keep product listeria-free

In this article:

Vector control

Cleaning and sanitizing

Validation and verification

Sampling procedures

Data analysis

Although less than 1 percent of the nation’s ready-to-eat meat product tests positive for listeria monocytogenes, the pathogen can be found in everything from soil and water to raw vegetables and raw meat. As a result, meat processors must engage in aggressive environmental sampling and effective corrective action to protect public health, according to John Meyer, program manager for scientific and regulatory affairs with Kraft Foods Global Inc. Likewise, processors should adhere to product formulations that prevent the pathogen’s growth and GMPs and SSOPs that prevent its spread, he said. Meyer, who spoke at an Industry Short Course on listeria at the Worldwide Food Expo last month, noted that while healthy people are normally resistant to the pathogen, its effects on pregnant women, newborns and people with weakened immune systems can be deadly. Peter Bodnaruk, microbiology manager with supplier Ecolab Inc., indicated a survey of some 41 meat plants shows listeria is most ubiquitous on floors, floor drains, cleaning aids, wash areas, sausage peelers and food-contact surfaces, and less so on walls and ceilings and in condensate and compressed air. …more