My Food Poisoning Lawyer

Pet Owners Become Ill after Handling Dog Food from South Carolina

Fourteen people in at least nine states have been sickened with Salmonella Infantis after handling tainted dog food from a South Carolina plant.  A few years ago, that same plant produced food contaminated by toxic mold that killed dozens of dogs. 

In the current outbreak, at least five people have been hospitalized because of the dog food.  The dog food is made by Diamond Pet Foods in Gaston, S.C., the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.  Ironically, no pets have been reported ill, according to the Meta, Missouri company.

“People who became ill, the thing that was common among them was that they had fed their pets Diamond Pet Foods,” said CDC spokeswoman Lola Russell.  “Our folks are really wanting people to be aware of it.  They want to be aware that this is causing people to get sick because they may have product in their homes.  For every one that is reported, there may be 29 others,” Russell added.  The reported cases of illness linked to this dog food reside in nine states: 

• Missouri (3)
• North Carolina (3)
• Ohio (2)
• Alabama (1)
• Connecticut (1)
• Michigan (1)
• New Jersey (1)
• Pennsylvania (1)
• Virginia (1)

People can get salmonella by handling the infected dog food, then not washing their hands before eating or handling their own food, health officials said.  The South Carolina plant temporarily was shut down April 8. 

Diamond Pet Foods has issued four rounds of recalls for food made at the plant, located outside of Columbia, S.C., between Dec. 9 and April 7.  The recalls cover a number of pet food brands made at the Gaston plant, including Canidae, Natural Balance, Apex, Kirkland, Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul, Country Value, Diamond, Diamond Naturals, Premium Edge, Professional, 4Health and Taste of the Wild.  The latest recalls were announced Friday.  “We took corrective actions at the plant, and today the plant is up and running.  Our mission is to produce safe pet foods for our customers and their pets in all Diamond facilities,” the company said in a written statement Friday.

In 2005, a toxic mold called aflatoxin ended up in food made at the same Diamond Pet Foods plant in South Carolina and dozens of dogs died.  The company offered a $3.1 million settlement.  The Food and Drug Administration determined the deadly fungus likely got into the plant when it failed to test 12 shipments of corn.

Agriculture officials in Michigan found the strain of salmonella during routine testing of dog food on April 2 and health investigators noticed there was a possible link to the food made by Diamond Pet Foods.  An ill person still had some of the food, and authorities were able to link the cases to the food, the CDC said.  FDA officials were not immediately available for comment Friday on the most recent problems with the plant.

Tainted Tempeh - Maryland-made Ingredients May be Source of Contamination

According to county health officials, the number of reported salmonella victims in a Buncombe County surged by 30 percent over the weekend. Fourteen more people reported being ill over the weekend, raising the total from 46 on Friday to 60.  At least 7 heave been hospitalized.

And in a new development, government food and health regulators are now zeroing in on a tempeh ingredient, or pre-packaged culture, sold by a Maryland company as the possible source of the local bacterial infection.  The Food and Drug Administration is now among the agencies involved in the investigation of ingredients in the cultured bean product, and the investigation is ongoing to determine the source of the contaminant. 

It appears that some of the people newly sickened were exposed to the bacteria together, possibly at parties, said county Health Director Gibbie Harris. “We don’t know at this point because we are starting to do the interviews, but it is a possibility that it is a combination of food and person-to-person exposure,” she said.  Harris said people should not be alarmed at the spike in cases, since small surges are typical in outbreaks. “It is going to take a bit of time before this tapers off,” she said. 

Smiling Hara temporarily halted production and recalled all its tempeh made between January 11 and April 11 with best-by dates of July 11 through October 25.  Owners of the company believe the pre-packaged culture they used to make tempeh likely was contaminated with Salmonella.  Now, officials with Smiling Hara Tempeh said the small Candler company is looking at restarting production after first doing a thorough review of its system. 

Salmonella behind the Outbreak is the Rare Paratyphi B

Test results from the North Carolina Department of Public Health laboratory confirmed that the bacteria found in the tempeh matched the outbreak strain of Salmonella Paratyphyi B.  The rare Paratyphi B serotype causes paratyphoid fever, not to be confused with typhoid fever, said county Health Director Gibbie Harris.  It is rarely fatal but can require hospitalization and is dangerous to the young, elderly and those with weak immune systems.  The strain associated with the outbreak can cause severe symptoms, though perhaps not as severe as the strain lab tests first indicated, according to the Buncombe County Department of Health. 

The disease causes diarrhea that may be bloody, high fever, headache and abdominal pain.  And according to local health authorities, education is key to stopping the outbreak, including an emphasis on good sanitation such as hand washing and appropriate food-handling techniques.  The bacteria are spread from fecal matter and can be transferred by such things as unwashed or undercooked food, diapers or even light switches.   Although many of those sickened either ate the implicated tempeh or possibly ate other foods cross-contaminated by the tempeh, the Buncombe County Department of Health has said the outbreak is continuing through person-to-person contact.

Simon & Luke Representing Salmonella Victims – Let Us Help You

The salmonella lawyers at Simon & Luke are investigating this outbreak.  If you contracted Salmonella poisoning after travel to Buncombe County and/or consuming tempeh, and were contacted by the health department, then you are likely one of persons sickened in this Salmonella Paratyphi B outbreak.  If so, you may be entitled to a substantial salmonella settlement from the responsible parties and their insurers – i.e. full compensation for all of your medical bills, lost wages, and suffering you endured and will endure in the future.  Even if your illness was not life threatening, you may still receive substantial compensation from the companies responsible for your illness.

Please call Simon & Luke for a free consultation on your legal rights.  Our salmonella and food poisoning lawyers can help you with your Salmonella Paratyphi B lawsuit, claim, and settlement in Buncombe County, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, New York, and all affected areas.

If you have questions or information about this outbreak, please call us toll free at 1-888-335-4901 or contact us by email at ron@simonluke.com

Imported Raw Tuna Raises Concerns as Outbreak Continues

At least 258 persons have been infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella Bareilly (247) and Salmonella Nchanga (11) in 24 states and the District of Columbia.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least 32 ill persons have been hospitalized. 

Based on an epidemiologic link and results of laboratory testing, the CDC has combined the Salmonella Bareilly investigation with an ongoing multistate outbreak investigation of salmonella Nchanga infections.  The two associated PFGE patterns have been grouped together as the “outbreak strains” associated with the tuna scrape from India, which was imported into the US by Moon Marine (USA) Corporation of Cupertino, California. 

And according to the CDC, the multistate outbreak linked to these two serotypes is expanding with more cases being reported every week. The likely number of victims infected with these two strains of salmonella is probably in excess of 5000, though the majority of people infected have not sought medical attention.  The CDC has explained that there is a significant lag time (upwards of 30 days) between the onset of symptoms and the time at which the CDC counts the victim in its outbreak summary.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) isolated salmonella in two samples of Nakaochi scrape yellowfin tuna with a PFGE (DNA) pattern indistinguishable from the Salmonella Bareilly strain.  One of the samples also found another strain of salmonella with a PFGE pattern indistinguishable from the cluster of Salmonella Nchanga infections. 

New York remains atop the list of states reporting Salmonella cases, with 44 sickened. Massachusetts has 27 cases so far, followed by New Jersey with 27, Maryland with 24, Illinois with 23, Pennsylvania with 20, and Wisconsin with 17.  In all cases, the sushi involved a product called “tuna scrape,” which is raw yellowfin tuna shaved and scraped off tuna bones. 

Tuna Scrape Raises Concerns over Eating Raw Tuna

Because food safety depends to a large degree on proper food handling, many restaurant owners today have made a food handler certification or a food safety certification an employment requirement.  Still, the frequency of foodborne illness has led many in the industry to look at the causes—a major one of which is U.S. increasing dependence on imported food, especially fish.  According to the FDA, the United States now imports about 80 percent of seafood sold domestically.  And while the FDA requires producers of imported foods to follow established safety plans, the FDA only inspects 1 or 2 percent of that product.

This means that American consumers have to rely on the diligence of international food producers, importers, and distributors to inspect the fish and to follow safe-handling procedures.  In short, it falls to U.S. importers to verifying safety through pathogen testing.

But many producers and importers make safety errors, especially when dealing with high-risk foods.  Tuna scrape is very high risk because its supply chain is long, complicated and international, leaving many opportunities for contamination.  The workers combine the scrapings from many fish, and a single contaminated scraping can contaminate the entire lot when mixed to gather. In this outbreak, the tuna scrape came from a single processing plant in India owned by Moon Marine International of Taiwan.  According to Marion Nestle, an investigative writer, “Tuna are plentiful off the Indian coast, and the tuna processing industry is expanding rapidly.  India has dozens, perhaps hundreds, of fish processing facilities, but most are relatively small and their number, size and geographical dispersion make monitoring difficult.” 

“Scrape” refers to the meat left on fish skeletons after the filets are removed.  Because tuna is a very valuable meat, companies in India have developed special techniques to salvage as much of it as is possible for human consumption.  Processing plants in India use special devices to scoop out the meat, “combine it with scrapings from many other fish, chop the mixture, freeze it in blocks, and ship it to importers in the United States,” says Nestle.

Unfortunately, the tuna scrape is not treated with anything to kill harmful bacteria.  Instead, the frozen scrape blocks are supposed to be held at subzero temperatures throughout shipping.  But even so, they pose a serious safety risk.    And while subzero freezing may kill some pathogens, many salmonella, E. coli, or other pathogens often survive, remain viable, and multiply when the blocks are thawed. 

Nakaochi Scrape: Cost-Effective Ingredient in Spicy Tuna Rolls

Because sushi has gone mainstream in the U.S., it can be found prepackaged as sushi rolls at practically any supermarket or convenience store.  In an effort to make it comparable to eating a hamburger or other fast food, retailers are looking for the lowest cost product on the market.  In many establishments, this means using Nakaochi scrape as a cost-effective means of selling spicy tuna rolls.  Unfortunately, without being subjected to pathogen testing, this product can introduce pathogens from across the globe without any warning until the consumers start becoming ill.

Simon & Luke Representing Sushi Victims – First Three Lawsuits Filed – Let Us Help You

If you contracted Salmonella poisoning after eating sushi, and were contacted by the health department, then you are likely one of persons sickened in this Salmonella sushi outbreak.  If so, you are entitled to a substantial salmonella settlement from Moon Marine USA Corporation and its insurers – i.e. full compensation for all of your medical bills, lost wages, and suffering you endured and will endure in the future.  Even if your illness was not life threatening, you will still receive substantial compensation from the companies responsible for your illness.

Please call Simon & Luke for a free consultation on your legal rights.  Our salmonella and food poisoning lawyers can help you with your Salmonella Bareilly and Salmonella sushi lawsuit, claim, and settlement in Wisconsin and all affected areas.

Simon & Luke has already filed the first three lawsuits in the United States linked to the contaminated sushi, and represents over 30 victims of this outbreak.

If you have questions or information about this outbreak, please call us toll free at 1-888-335-4901 or contact us by email at ron@simonluke.com.

46 Victims in the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee and New York

There are now 46 victims in the Salmonella Paratyphi B outbreak linked to Smiling Hara tempeh produced in North Carolina.  At least 7 have been hospitalized as a result of eating the infected tempeh. 

Officials announced Friday results of additional lab tests in the Salmonella Paratyphi B out break traced back to Asheville. 

Buncombe County Department of Health and Smiling Hara held a joint news conference.  Officials say the bacteria found in the Smiling Hara tempeh that was recalled earlier last week because of salmonella concerns is confirmed as the source of the outbreak.  Officials also say they have confirmed the exact strain of the salmonella and say it has symptoms that can be severe, but not as bad as a distinct strain of Salmonella Paratyphi B which lab tests first indicated.

In extreme cases of salmonella poisoning, people have to take antibiotics or be hospitalized.  Some actually die from the disease.  In 2005, an Australian girl was left with brain damage after a salmonella infection sent her into a coma.  Luckily, none of the local cases had been that bad, but some had been food service workers, and in a city that depends on the reputation of its restaurants, that can be a problem.

On April 14, after health care workers thought the disease had flared itself out in the county, they realized it was back — and spreading.   The count has steadily risen since mid-April, with person-to-person transmission of the highly communicable infection the likely mechanism. The number of cases reported has now climbed to 46 people, with seven being hospitalized. Cases have now spread outside of North Carolina into South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and New York.  Despite all of the product being recalled, health officials say there is still a risk of the salmonella spread by human contact.

Local Area Ashville Nurses Helped Track Down Source

According to the Ashville Citizen-Times, a local paper that has been at the forefront of covering this outbreak, local area nurses have played a vital role in helping authorities determine the source and disposition of this outbreak.  According to Citizen-Times, since March, Susan Creede, Ellis Vaughan, and Kelly McDonald, nurses in the Buncombe County Health Department’s Division of Communicable Disease Control, along with their supervisor Sue Ellen Morrison, have been busy trying to track down a small outbreak of salmonella that sickened at least a dozed people in and around Ashville.  The bacterial infection itself was not unusual, as in 2011 about 30 people in the county reported getting salmonella poisoning. But these individuals did not look like those random cases because the symptoms, which normally include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps, were pretty severe.

Nurse Creede, in an interview with Citizen-Times only days ago, learned that she and her co-workers played a crucial role in nailing down the source of the outbreak that eventually infected at least 46 people, hospitalizing seven.  According to local health officials, it would have been worse except for the investigative work of the communicable disease nurses and their intuitive understanding of residents’ eating habits.  “Usually, with such diseases, the nurses spend a lot of time interviewing those sickened over the phone,” Citizen-Times reports.  “But when we get numbers as big as we have been seeing, we go face-to-face,” Susan Creede said.  These face-to-face meetings allowed  the nurses to make connections they otherwise might not have made. For example, the first reported cases of salmonella were March 14 and March 16.  But in an interview, one of the sick people talked about a friend who apparently had an unreported case of salmonella on Feb. 28.

Produced at Blue Ridge Food Ventures: Sold at Whole Foods Market

Whole Foods Market is among the vendors served by Smiling Hara, the tempeh manufacturer which authorities have now confirmed is the source of the salmonella outbreak in Western North Carolina.  Smiling Hara is also one of dozens of small food producers that use Blue Ridge Food Ventures facilitates to produce their food product.   Smiling Hara Tempeh, the Asheville-based company, voluntarily recalled all of its tempeh products after concerns some of its products may contain salmonella.

Tempeh is a soybean product that usually comes in a cake form, and is packed with proteins.  The company distributes to a number of restaurants and other vendors, including all the Whole Foods Markets across the Southeast, according to its web site.

Simon & Luke Representing Salmonella Victims – Let Us Help You

The salmonella lawyers at Simon & Luke are investigating this outbreak.  If you contracted Salmonella poisoning after travel to Buncombe County and/or consuming tempeh, and were contacted by the health department, then you are likely one of persons sickened in this Salmonella Paratyphi B outbreak.  If so, you may be entitled to a substantial salmonella settlement from the responsible parties and their insurers – i.e. full compensation for all of your medical bills, lost wages, and suffering you endured and will endure in the future.  Even if your illness was not life threatening, you may still receive substantial compensation from the companies responsible for your illness.

Please call Simon & Luke for a free consultation on your legal rights.  Our salmonella and food poisoning lawyers can help you with your Salmonella Paratyphi B lawsuit, claim, and settlement in Buncombe County, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, New York, and all affected areas.

If you have questions or information about this outbreak, please call us toll free at 1-888-335-4901 or contact us by email at ron@simonluke.com

Wisconsin Reports 17 Raw Tuna Victims: First Three Lawsuits Filed by Simon & Luke

Wisconsin remains at the forefront of the nation-wide salmonella outbreak as another lawsuit has been filed on behalf of a Wisconsin resident.

The filing of this second lawsuit on behalf of 22-year old Wisconsin resident Amy Karfonta comes on the heels of the nation’s first lawsuit (also on behalf of a Wisconsin resident) and is filed along with the nation’s third lawsuit filed on behalf of a Massachusetts resident.  All three cases were filed by the national food poisoning law firm Simon & Luke, and were filed against Moon Marine (U.S.A.) Corporation in the Superior Court of Santa Clara County, California. 

Wisconsin has played a pivotal role in identifying both of the outbreak strains of salmonella in this outbreak – i.e. Salmonella Bareilly and Salmonella Nchanga.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Wisconsin now has 17 confirmed victims, including 16 cases of Salmonella Bareilly and 1 case of Salmonella Nchanga.  Both strains have been definitively linked to the importation of raw tuna, produced at the Moon Fishery Pvt. Ltd. processing facility in Aroor, India, and imported by Moon Marine (U.S.A.).

This outbreak has now sickened at least 258 people in 24 states, sending approximately 18% to the hospital.  Illness onset dates range from January 28 to April 20, 2012.  Ill persons range in age from 4 to 86 years, with a median age of 30.  Fifty-seven percent of patients are female.  No deaths have been reported.

Ms. Karfonta consumed a spicy tuna roll containing the contaminated tuna at a local restaurant in Brookfield, Wisconsin.  Shortly thereafter, she began to experience body aches, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, and headaches.  She was rushed to the local emergency room at Wheaton Franciscan Hospital in Franklin, where she was given IV fluids and medication, asked to provide a stool culture, and discharged later that day.  She described her ordeal to local reporters: “I was just in complete body pain from head to toe and the next day I got bloody diarrhea. I couldn’t even drink water.” She then made two trips to local emergency room at Wheaton Franciscan Hospital in Franklin and Wheaton St. Francis Hospital in Milwaukee, where doctors obtained a stool sample, re-hydrated her with intravenous fluids and examined her colon via a CT scan.  The results terrified Amy:  “When they saw how bad my colon was ulcerated, they first thought it could have been Crohn’s disease or something where I may have had to have my colon removed at 22.”

She has still not fully recovered from her illness.  The infection that ravaged her body caused her to lose eight pounds, and she still must undergo a follow-up colonoscopy to determine how much damage her colon suffered.  Doctors have decided to perform the procedure after a few weeks, so as not to rupture the tender tissue inflamed by her infection. Amy’s salmonella infection also caused her to miss a planned physical and agility test to land a job with her local police department.  She’s not sure, she said, when another opening at the department will occur.  She is still recovering from ongoing symptoms related to her salmonella infection.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services Laboratory has since confirmed that Ms. Karfonta’s stool culture tested positive for the outbreak strain of Salmonella Bareilly linked to contaminated tuna.

Nation’s First Lawsuit Also on Behalf of Wisconsin Resident

On April 18, Simon & Luke filed the first lawsuit stemming from the nationwide Salmonella sushi tuna outbreak, also on behalf of a Wisconsin Resident. The lawsuit was filed against Moon Marine (U.S.A.) Corporation in the Superior Court of Santa Clara County, California on behalf of a 33-year old Wisconsin resident who consumed a spicy tuna roll containing the contaminated tuna at a local restaurant in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Shortly thereafter, she began to experience severe bloody diarrhea, abdomen pain, fever, and chills. She was rushed to West Allis Memorial Hospital where doctors administered IV fluids for dehydration, and determined that she was suffering from Salmonella poisoning. She is still recovering from ongoing symptoms related to her Salmonella infection.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services Laboratory has since confirmed that her stool culture tested positive for the outbreak strain of Salmonella Bareilly linked to contaminated tuna.

Ron Simon, counsel for the victims, issued the following statement about the lawsuit: “We need to determine exactly how and where this tuna product became contaminated so that we can prevent it from happening again. Consumers in our country deserve to eat with the confidence that their food won’t harm them. This lawsuit is one more step towards assuring that all foods imported to the United States be safe and free of dangerous and potentially deadly bacteria.”

Simon & Luke Representing Wisconsin Victims – First Three Lawsuits Filed – Let Us Help You

If you contracted Salmonella poisoning after eating sushi, and were contacted by the health department, then you are likely one of persons sickened in this Salmonella sushi outbreak.  If so, you are entitled to a substantial salmonella settlement from Moon Marine USA Corporation and its insurers – i.e. full compensation for all of your medical bills, lost wages, and suffering you endured and will endure in the future.  Even if your illness was not life threatening, you will still receive substantial compensation from the companies responsible for your illness.

Please call Simon & Luke for a free consultation on your legal rights.  Our salmonella and food poisoning lawyers can help you with your Salmonella Bareilly and Salmonella sushi lawsuit, claim, and settlement in Wisconsin and all affected areas.

Simon & Luke has already filed the first three lawsuits in the United States linked to the contaminated sushi, and represents over 30 victims of this outbreak.

If you have questions or information about this outbreak, please call us toll free at 1-888-335-4901 or contact us by email at ron@simonluke.com.

CDC Reports 27 Massachusetts Tainted Sushi Victims: First Resident Files Lawsuit

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has now confirmed 27 Massachusetts victims of the Salmonella Bareilly outbreak linked to Moon Marine imported raw tuna.   At least three have been identified as coming from Bristol and Plymouth counties, with the first Massachusetts lawsuit arising after a Massachusetts resident ate sushi in Marshfield, which is in Plymouth County.  According to the CDC, there are two strains associated with this outbreak, including Salmonella Bareilly and Salmonella Nchanga, but so far only Salmonella Bareilly cases have surfaced in Massachusetts. This outbreak has now sickened at least 258 people in 24 states, sending approximately 18% to the hospital.

Yesterday, national food safety firm Simon & Luke filed a lawsuit on behalf of the first Massachusetts victim, Laurie Whitley.  Simon & Luke has now filed the first three cases nationwide.  The lawsuit was filed yesterday against Moon Marine (U.S.A.) Corporation in the Superior Court of Santa Clara County, California. 

Mrs. Whitley consumed a spicy tuna roll containing the contaminated tuna at a local restaurant in Marshfield, Massachusetts.  Shortly thereafter, she began to experience body aches, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, and fatigue. On April 7, she went to her primary care physician in Pembroke, who upon seeing her condition instructed her to go immediately to South Shore Harbor Hospital in South Weymouth.  At South Shore Hospital, she was administered IV fluids and medication, underwent a CT scan, and discharged the next day with instructions to follow up with a gastroenterologist.  A few days later, her gastroenterologist prescribed medications for her illness, performed a stool culture, and diagnosed her with a salmonella infection.  She has since continued to receive follow up care from her physicians, and is still recovering from ongoing symptoms related to her salmonella infection.

Mrs. Whitley learned from Massachusetts health officials and the CDC that her stool culture had tested positive for the identical strain of Salmonella Bareilly linked to consumption of Defendants’ contaminated tuna.  

Massachusetts Among Most Impacted States: Investigation Ongoing

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) continues to cooperate with federal agencies to investigate at suspected cases linked to the “tuna scrape” outbreak of yellowfin tuna imported from India—and the number of victims is likely to rise.  The CDC has confirmed 27 Massachusetts cases, the same as New Jersey and second only to New York’s 44, but also admits that it does not update the victim count daily.  As such, new victims may not be included in the current count.  The CDC has confirmed that there is a 30 day lag time between the onset of symptoms and the inclusion of new cases in the CDC numbers. 

There are now at least 258 confirmed across the nation, with New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts accounting for at least 98 of the victims.  This high number of victims in the New York City/Boston area is understandable given the high concentration of sushi restaurants in these metropolitan areas.  Maryland also has 24 cases.

If You Contracted Salmonella, Let Simon & Luke Help You

If you contracted Salmonella poisoning after eating sushi, and were contacted by the health department, then you are likely one of persons sickened in this Salmonella sushi outbreak.  If so, you are entitled to a substantial salmonella settlement from Moon Marine USA Corporation and its insurers – i.e. full compensation for all of your medical bills, lost wages, and suffering you endured and will endure in the future.  Even if your illness was not life threatening, you will still receive substantial compensation from the companies responsible for your illness.

Please call Simon & Luke for a free consultation on your legal rights.  Our salmonella and food poisoning lawyers can help you with your Salmonella Bareilly and Salmonella Nchanga sushi lawsuit, claim, and settlement in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, and all affected areas. 

Simon & Luke represent over 30 of the victims in this salmonella sushi ou

If you have questions or information about this outbreak, please call us toll free at 1-888-335-4901 or contact us by email at ron@simonluke.com.  

Our salmonella experts are standing by to answer any questions you may have.  We are here to help you.

Missouri Reports 14 E. coli Raw Milk Illnesses Linked to Stroupe Farm

Half-way between Kansas City and St. Louis, in the middle of Missouri, the city of Columbia has confirmed the fifth case of E. coli 0157.H7.  The city of Columbia is in Boone County. 

The most recent victim is an adult who did not require hospitalization.  Boone County now holds the largest proportion of E. coli cases in a recent outbreak of 14 cases in central Missouri. There are three cases from Cooper County, three from Howard County and one each from Jackson, Marion and Callaway counties.  The five Boone County cases have occurred in people ages 2 to 31. Two of the victims required hospitalization and 2 occurred in victims younger than 18, according to the Columbia Health Department press release.

The Columbia Health Department takes measures to control such an outbreak and investigates the cause and whether a case is an isolated incident or a trend.  “It’s probably true there may yet be unidentified cases where individuals didn’t go to a doctor or had no specimens to test,” said Columbia Health Department senior lab analyst David Vrana. 

The Missouri State Department of Health and Senior Services has reported nine of the 14 victims have acknowledged drinking raw milk. The department has identified Stroupe Farm, located in Howard County, as the possible source of the ongoing E. coli outbreak because all five Boone County victims consumed raw milk from that same farm.  The farm has since halted the sale of its unpasteurized products.

Current Missouri law allows for the sale of unpasteurized products directly to consumers. A proposed bill, Missouri Senate Bill 841, would allow farmers to sell no more than 100 gallons of raw milk or cream per day at farmers markets. “It’s not where you’re getting the unpasteurized milk, it’s the fact that it’s unpasteurized,” Boone County Health Department spokeswoman Geni Alexander said. “I would advise those who choose to consume unpasteurized milk to understand the dangers involved.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Emerging Infectious Diseases journal’s March 2012 report found raw milk and products made from it had an outbreak rate 150 times higher than the outbreak rate of pasteurized milk.  Unpasteurized milk can pose severe health risks, according to the CDC.  “Typical symptoms include abdominal cramps, diarrhea, low-grade fever, vomiting and nausea,” Vrana said.  Both Alexander and Vrana said children, the elderly and those with immune system deficiencies have an increased risk. “Firmly wash food and vegetables you aren’t going to cook, wash your hands continuously, carefully cook meat and stay away raw milk or any product made from raw milk,” Alexander said.

Simon & Luke Files Third Tainted Tuna Lawsuit

The national food safety law firm of Simon & Luke has filed the third lawsuit stemming from a nationwide salmonella outbreak.  Health officials have linked the outbreak to contaminated sushi tuna distributed by Moon Marine (U.S.A.) Corporation of Cupertino, California. 

Simon & Luke filed the first two salmonella sushi lawsuits on behalf of 33-year old Amber Azzolina and 22-year old Amy Karfonta, both residents of Wisconsin.

Laurie Whitley – Massachusetts Salmonella Sushi Victim

Simon & Luke’s third lawsuit was filed yesterday against Moon Marine (U.S.A.) Corporation in the Superior Court of Santa Clara County, California on behalf of 25-year old Massachusetts resident Laurie Whitley.  Mrs. Whitley consumed a spicy tuna roll containing the contaminated tuna at a local restaurant in Marshfield, Massachusetts.  Shortly thereafter, she began to experience body aches, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, and fatigue.  On April 7, she went to her primary care physician in Pembroke, who upon seeing her condition instructed her to go immediately to South Shore Harbor Hospital in South Weymouth.  At South Shore Hospital, she was administered IV fluids and medication, underwent a CT scan, and was discharged the next day with instructions to follow up with a gastroenterologist.  A few days later, her gastroenterologist prescribed medications for her illness, performed a stool culture, and diagnosed her with a salmonella infection.

She has since continued to receive follow up care from her physicians, and is still recovering from ongoing symptoms related to her salmonella infection.

Ultimately, Mrs. Whitley learned from Massachusetts health officials and the CDC that her stool culture had tested positive for the identical strain of Salmonella Bareilly linked to contaminated tuna.

The Salmonella Outbreak  - Tainted Tuna Sickens 258 in 24 States and the District of Columbia

On April 13, Moon Marine (U.S.A.) Corporation issued a nationwide recall of 58,828 pounds of a frozen raw yellowfin tuna product, labeled Nakaochi Scrape AA or AAA, due to potential salmonella contamination.  Nakaochi scrape is tuna backmeat, which is specifically scraped from the bones, and looks like a ground product.  The product was not available for sale to individual customers, but was used to make sushi, particularly spicy tuna rolls, in restaurants and grocery stores.  The product was imported from the Moon Fishery Pvt. Ltd. processing facility in Aroor, India.

Mrs. Whitley is one of at least 258 people in 24 states and the District of Columbia who have contracted one of the outbreak strains of Salmonella Bareilly or Salmonella Nchanga.   The 258 confirmed victims are distributed throughout the United States as follows:  Alabama (2), Arkansas (1), California (2), Connecticut (9), District of Columbia (2), Florida (1), Georgia (12), Illinois (23), Louisiana (3), Maryland (24), Massachusetts (27), Mississippi (2), Missouri (4), Nebraska (1), New Jersey (27), New York (44), North Carolina (4), Pennsylvania (20), Rhode Island (6), South Carolina (3), Tennessee (2), Texas (4), Virginia (17), Vermont (1), and Wisconsin (17).

Ron Simon, counsel for Mrs. Whitley and several other victims, issued the following statement today: “This is another unfortunate example of imported foods crossing our borders without adequate testing and inspection.  We must do a better job of protecting our consumers to make sure this does not happen again.  Consumers in our country deserve to eat with the confidence that their food won’t harm them.  These lawsuits will help us find the weak links in our food system and allow us to strengthen the safeguards for everyone.” 

Simon & Luke currently represents over 30 of the victims involved in this outbreak.

About Simon & Luke

Simon & Luke’s groundbreaking work on behalf of victims in several recent national food borne illness outbreaks (Peter Pan peanut butter, Castleberry’s chili, Nestle cookie dough, Peanut Corporation of America Peanut products, JBS Swift beef, Daniele salami, Subway sandwiches, Wright County Egg / Hillandale Farms eggs, and Agromod papayas, to name a few) have been featured on NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX and virtually all other major television networks and in print media.  

The firm has represented over 5000 victims of food-borne outbreaks in the past five years alone, and has collected over $500,000,000 for its clients.  The firm regularly publishes articles about food safety and litigation at www.myfoodpoisoninglawyer.com, which are read by viewers in over 160 countries.

The firm’ food poisoning lawyers represent victims in all states, including Massachusetts.

For media inquiries or more information on this outbreak and ongoing litigation, please contact Ron Simon directly at (713) 335-4900 or ron@simonluke.com.

Second Lawsuit Filed Against Sushi Tuna Distributor

The national food safety law firm of Simon & Luke has filed the second lawsuit stemming from a nationwide salmonella outbreak.  Health officials have linked the outbreak to contaminated sushi tuna distributed by Moon Marine (U.S.A.) Corporation of Cupertino, California.   

Simon & Luke filed the first salmonella sushi lawsuit on April 18 on behalf of 33-year old Wisconsin resident Amber Azzolina.

Amy Karfonta

Simon & Luke’s second lawsuit was filed yesterday against Moon Marine (U.S.A.) Corporation in the Superior Court of Santa Clara County, California on behalf of 22-year old Wisconsin resident Amy Karfonta.  Ms. Karfonta consumed a spicy tuna roll containing the contaminated tuna at a local restaurant in Brookfield, Wisconsin.  Shortly thereafter, she began to experience body aches, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, and headaches.  She was rushed to the local emergency room at Wheaton Franciscan Hospital in Franklin, where she was given IV fluids and medication, asked to provide a stool culture, and discharged later that day.  She described her ordeal to local reporters:

“I was just in complete body pain from head to toe and the next day I got bloody diarrhea. I couldn’t even drink water.”

She then made two trips to local emergency room at Wheaton Franciscan Hospital in Franklin and Wheaton St. Francis Hospital in Milwaukee, where doctors obtained a stool sample, re-hydrated her with intravenous fluids and examined her colon via a CT scan.  The results terrified Amy:

“When they saw how bad my colon was ulcerated, they first thought it could have been Crohn’s disease, or something where I may have had to have my colon removed at 22.”

She has still not fully recovered from her illness.  The infection that ravaged her body caused her to lose eight pounds, and she still must undergo a follow-up colonoscopy to determine how much damage her colon suffered.  Doctors have decided to perform the procedure after a few weeks, so as not to rupture the tender tissue inflamed by her infection.

Amy’s salmonella infection also caused her to miss a planned physical and agility test to land a job with her local police department.  She’s not sure, she said, when another opening at the department will occur.

She is still recovering from ongoing symptoms related to her salmonella infection.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services Laboratory has since confirmed that Ms. Karfonta’s stool culture tested positive for the outbreak strain of Salmonella Bareilly linked to contaminated tuna.

The Salmonella Outbreak  - Tainted Tuna Sickens 258 in 24 States and the District of Columbia

On April 13, Moon Marine (U.S.A.) Corporation issued a nationwide recall of 58,828 pounds of a frozen raw yellowfin tuna product, labeled Nakaochi Scrape AA or AAA, due to potential salmonella contamination.  Nakaochi scrape is tuna backmeat, which is specifically scraped from the bones, and looks like a ground product.  The product was not available for sale to individual customers, but was used to make sushi, particularly spicy tuna rolls, in restaurants and grocery stores.  The product was imported from the Moon Fishery Pvt. Ltd. processing facility in Aroor, India.

Ms. Karfonta is one of at least 258 people in 24 states and the District of Columbia who have contracted one of the outbreak strains of Salmonella Bareilly or Salmonella Nchanga.   The 258 confirmed victims are distributed throughout the United States as follows:  Alabama (2), Arkansas (1), California (2), Connecticut (9), District of Columbia (2), Florida (1), Georgia (12), Illinois (23), Louisiana (3), Maryland (24), Massachusetts (27), Mississippi (2), Missouri (4), Nebraska (1), New Jersey (27), New York (44), North Carolina (4), Pennsylvania (20), Rhode Island (6), South Carolina (3), Tennessee (2), Texas (4), Virginia (17), Vermont (1), and Wisconsin (17).

Ron Simon, counsel for Mrs. Karfonta and several other victims, issued the following statement today: “This is another unfortunate example of imported foods crossing our borders without adequate testing and inspection.  We must do a better job of protecting our consumers to make sure this does not happen again.  Consumers in our country deserve to eat with the confidence that their food won’t harm them.  These lawsuits will help us find the weak links in our food system and allow us to strengthen the safeguards for everyone.” 

Simon & Luke currently represents over 30 of the victims involved in this outbreak.

About Simon & Luke

Simon & Luke’s groundbreaking work on behalf of victims in several recent national food borne illness outbreaks (Peter Pan peanut butter, Castleberry’s chili, Nestle cookie dough, Peanut Corporation of America Peanut products, JBS Swift beef, Daniele salami, Subway sandwiches, Wright County Egg / Hillandale Farms eggs, and Agromod papayas, to name a few) have been featured on NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX and virtually all other major television networks and in print media.  

The firm has represented over 5000 victims of food-borne outbreaks in the past five years alone, and has collected over $500,000,000 for its clients.  The firm regularly publishes articles about food safety and litigation at www.myfoodpoisoninglawyer.com, which are read by viewers in over 160 countries.

The firm’ food poisoning lawyers represent victims in all states, including several in Wisconsin.

For media inquiries or more information on this outbreak and ongoing litigation, please contact Ron Simon directly at (713) 335-4900 or ron@simonluke.com.

Salmonella Tainted Tempeh Sold by Whole Foods

The outbreak of Salmonella Paratyhpi B in the Carolinas continues to unfold as health officials await final test results.  At least 40 individuals in several states have now been reported ill from the outbreak. 

In addition, new information is coming out that may indicate the potential ultimate size of the outbreak.  According to Channel 7 On Your Side, covering Ashville, N.C. and Spartanburg, Greenville and Anderson, S.C., the salmonella infected Smiling Hara tempeh was sold at Whole Foods throughout the Southeast.  Whole Foods Market is among the vendors served by Smiling Hara, a fact confirmed by the company web page.  Smiling Hara is the company at the center of the growing salmonella outbreak in Western North Carolina. 

Smiling Hara Tempeh, the Asheville-based company, has voluntarily recalled all of its tempeh products after some of its tempeh products tested positive for salmonella. Tempeh is a soybean product that usually comes in a cake form, and is packed with proteins, making it a common beef-substitute in vegetarian and vegan diets.  The company distributes to a number of restaurants and other vendors, including all the Whole Foods Markets across the Southeast, according to its web site.

Meanwhile, the Buncombe County Department of Health said the salmonella outbreak will likely continue to grow, and warned the disease is now being passed through person-to-person transmission.  The same officials also reported today that the strain of Salmonella Paratyphi B identified in this outbreak has proven less severe than anticipated, and many of the individuals who are otherwise healthy may not have to receive antibiotics.  Also, certain individuals employed in childcare, healthcare, and in food preparation, may not have to stay away from work as long as previously thought.

According to a Smiling Hara spokeswoman, the company is still awaiting these tests to make a positive confirmation that their product is the source of the outbreak.  At the same time, the results of over 100 swabs from the Blue Ridge Food Venture kitchen, where the tempeh is produced, is anticipated tomorrow.  Production may be able to begin again for the many small food companies who use the facility if the facility is determined to be same from infection. 

“Anyone with this product in their possession should not eat it,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. Smiling Hara launched the recall after samples collected by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services during a routine inspection tested positive for salmonella.

Simon & Luke Representing Salmonella Victims – Let Us Help You

The salmonella lawyers at Simon & Luke are investigating this outbreak.  If you contracted Salmonella poisoning after travel to Buncombe County and/or consuming tempeh, and were contacted by the health department, then you are likely one of persons sickened in this Salmonella Paratyphi B outbreak.  If so, you may be entitled to a substantial salmonella settlement from the responsible parties and their insurers – i.e. full compensation for all of your medical bills, lost wages, and suffering you endured and will endure in the future.  Even if your illness was not life threatening, you may still receive substantial compensation from the companies responsible for your illness.

Please call Simon & Luke for a free consultation on your legal rights.  Our salmonella and food poisoning lawyers can help you with your Salmonella Paratyphi B lawsuit, claim, and settlement in Buncombe County, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, New York, and all affected areas.

If you have questions or information about this outbreak, please call us toll free at 1-888-335-4901 or contact us by email at ron@simonluke.com