E Coli Symptoms & Treatment – Ecoli Food Poisoning Bacteria Outbreak

An Asheboro, NC company, Randolph Packing, has recalled approximately 96,000 pounds of beef products as of March 2, 2010.  This is due to a possible contamination with E. Coli O157:H7.  This recall was announced by the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

Each package included in this recent recall bears the establishment number EST. 6590 inside the USDA mark of inspection.  Products included in this recall include combo bin packages of “Randolph Packing Co. Knuckles 90% & 94% 30 lb. boxes of “Beef Ribeye Rolls” and combo bin packages of “Randolph Packing Co., Inc. Boneless Beef.

These products were distributed to several establishments in New York, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio and Virginia for further processing, but none are directly available to consumers.  The products involved in this recall were produced on February 25, 2010.  The possibility of E. Coli food poisoning contamination was discovered through FSIS microbiological sampling.

This latest recall brings the total amount of beef recalled over the past four months to 5,768,000 pounds.

E. Coli is a bacteria that can cause mild cases of food poisoning in healthy individuals, but some are at higher risk of serious complications.  Those with weakened immune systems, as well as young children, the elderly, and pregnant women are at an increased risk of serious illness and even fatality.

The USDA recommends everyone wash their hands with warm, soapy water for a minimum of 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat or poultry.  Wash dishes, utensils and cutting boards with hot soapy water, and clean spills immediately.  Always keep raw meat, poultry and fish separate from other foods that will not be cooked.

It is essential that ground beef be cooked until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F, and color is not a reliable indicator of whether meat is thoroughly cooked.  Simply looking at meat to see if it is pink or looks well done is not enough.  Foods must be cooked to reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F to kill E. Coli bacteria.

E. Coli food poisoning can be serious.  If you have become ill after eating foods prepared or manufactured by someone else, contact a reputable New York personal injury attorney or food poisoning attorney at once, who can advise you of your rights.

88-year-old Alice Smith purchased beef at Shaw’s grocery store in Portland in September of last year, then placed it in her freezer.  Smith consumed the beef in November, which E. Coli food poisoning lawyers say landed her in the hospital for a month.  The tainted beef was produced by New York based Fairbank Farms, which has been in the news recently following an E. Coli outbreak.

Smith is suing Fairbank Farms, and samples taken revealed that she indeed became infected with the strain of E. Coli associated with the recent outbreak.  Fairbank recalled nearly 546,000 lbs. of fresh ground beef in October of 2009 that was distributed from North Carolina to Maine.  There has been at least one other lawsuit filed in Maine related to this recall of beef.

**********
One other instance of E. Coli contaminated foods has sprung up recently.  Tina’s Red Hot Beef Burritos and Tina’s Beef and Beans Burritos have been recalled by Camino Real Foods, a Los Angeles CA based food manufacturer.  These products were sold in the frozen food departments and were recalled due to possible E. Coli contamination.  The following products are the only ones included in this recall:

Tina’s Red Hot Beef Burrito, 5oz – UPC: 79606-01015 – ONLY items with Best By Dates of: 1/26/2010, 1/29/2010, 2/2/2010, 2/4/2010, 2/9/2010, and 2/11/2010

Tina’s Beef & Beans Burrito, 5oz – UPC: 79606-01025 – ONLY items with Best By Dates of: 1/26/2010, 1/27/2010, 1/28/2010, 1/31/2010, 2/2/2010, 2/3/2010, and 2/5/2010

Illness due to E. Coli food poisoning typically include E. Coli symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, occasional fever and vomiting.  In individuals at high risks of serious complications, HUS, or hemolytic uremic syndrome, may occur.  This is a life threatening form of kidney failure that is usually found in younger children and older adults as a result of E. Coli infection.

Those who develop symptoms of food poisoning should seek medical attention.

Contact a New York food poisoning attorney if you have become ill after eating foods possibly contaminated by E. Coli.  Manufacturers and those responsible for preparing foods in restaurants, day cares, and other public places may be held accountable for expenses you have incurred related to your illness.