Category: E. coli O157:H7

Taylor Farms sued by victims of 2024 E. coli outbreak

Seven victims of last autumn’s deadly E. coli O157:H7 outbreak have filed lawsuits alleging lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms to be the source of the outbreak.

The multi-state outbreak was investigated by the US Centers for Diseae Control and Prevention (CDC) in cooperation with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and various state and local public health partners.

As a result of its traceback, sampling, and inspection efforts, the FDA’s Coordinated Outbreak Response & Evaluation (CORE) Network established that a single processor was the source of the contaminated romaine lettuce that sickened 89 people, resulting in 36 hospitalizations, 7 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), and one death.

The processor sourced the lettuce from a single grower.

The CDC and FDA closed their investigation on January 15, 2025, just one week before the inauguration of Donald Trump. According to the FDA’s final report, the processor, “…was not named during this outbreak because there was no product remaining in commerce.”

The FDA redacted the name of the processor from the version of the report obtained by eFoodAlert in response to a Freedom of Information Act request.

Thanks to an excellent piece of epidemiological detective work by the Marler Clark law firm, Taylor Farms has now been identified as the processor of the contaminated romaine lettuce.

Commenting on the law firm’s investigation in his Marler Blog, Bill Marler wrote, “Because we represent people and families from several states that were WGS matches to each other, it was not long until our on-staff Epidemiologist determined that the common link was that all clients consumed Taylor Farms romaine lettuce in the outbreak period.”

One of the victims represented by Marler Clark—a ten-year old child—experienced the following symptoms after consuming Taylor Farms romaine lettuce purchased by his parents at a Kroger supermarket (as extracted from the court filing):

On or about November 10, 2024, Plaintiff began to feel ill with symptoms including loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhea (that eventually became bloody), stomach cramps, fever, muscle aches and fatigue. 

The diarrhea, stomach cramping, and pain increased, and, by November 17, 2024, Plaintiff was seen in the emergency department of Hendricks Regional Health Brownsburg Hospital. 

Due to his deteriorating condition, Plaintiff was transferred to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. 

Plaintiff was hospitalized from November 17, 2024 to December 5, 2024. Plaintiff was diagnosed with life-threatening hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) due to E. coli O157:H7 that was confirmed to be a whole genome sequence (WGS) match to a nationwide outbreak linked to Defendants’ romaine lettuce. 

While hospitalized Plaintiff underwent 9 days of continuous renal replacement therapy (hemodialysis) followed by another five days of intermittent hemodialysis, and he received 5 blood transfusions over the 18 days he was hospitalized. He also required medication for blood pressure and pain management. He turned 10 while hospitalized. 

Since being released from the hospital, Plaintiff has continued medical and psychological care and Plaintiff is at risk for ongoing treatment, including the risk of kidney failure. 

The Trump administration has severely cut back FDA and CDC personnel since taking office, including axing communications teams, records management staff, and Freedom of Information management staff.

More and more, the future of food safety will have to rest on the shoulders of individual consumers, bloggers, and law firms such as Marler Clark.

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E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Canada

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is alerting Canadians to an outbreak of fourteen cases of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses linked to consumption of Hankook brand kimchi products.

As of today, outbreak cases have been confirmed in Alberta (13) and Saskatchewan (1).

The first case was reported during the week of December 5, 2021, and the most recent case during the week of January 2, 2022.

Hankook Original Kimchi, 1670 g - UnitThe Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued a recall warning for the following product on January 28, 2022.

  • Hankook (Korean characters only) brand Original Kimchi, 1670g. UPC 6 23431 00030 4. Best before 22JA29.

The recalled product was sold in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

The CFIA is conducting a food safety investigation, which may result in the recall of additional products.

People infected with E. coli O157:H7 can develop a wide range of symptoms, which can appear between one day and ten days after consuming a contaminated food. Some do not get sick at all, though they can still spread the infection to others. Others may feel as though they have a bad case of upset stomach. In some cases, individuals become seriously ill and must be hospitalized.

Symptoms of an E. coli O157:H7 infection may include:

  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • headache
  • mild fever
  • severe stomach cramps
  • watery or bloody diarrhea

The following advice from the PHAC applies to individuals, as well as retailers, distributors, manufacturers and food service establishments such as hotels, restaurants, cafeterias, hospitals and long-term care homes, across Canada:

  • Do not eat, use, sell or serve the recalled kimchi or any products made with the kimchi. Check to see if you have recalled food products at home. If you do, throw them out and wash your hands.
  • Clean and sanitize all surfaces and storage areas that recalled kimchi or any products made with the recalled kimchi may have come in contact with, including countertops, containers, utensils, freezers, and refrigerators.
  • If you have been diagnosed with an E. coli infection or any other gastrointestinal illness, do not cook food for other people.
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Recalls and Alerts: March 23 – 25, 2017

Here is today’s list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals, allergy alerts and miscellaneous compliance issues. The live links will take you directly to the official recall notices and company news releases that contain detailed information for each recall and alert.

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please submit your request using the sidebar link.

United States

Allergy Alert: Nutiva expands its earlier recall of Organic Plant Based Protein Superfood 30 Shake – Vanilla to include all lots of both Vanilla and Chocolate flavored products due to undeclared peanut traces. Please refer to the recall notice for detailed product information. The recalled products were sold at Costco stores.

Allergy Alert: Whiskey Hill Smokehouse LLC (Hubbard, OR) recalls approximately 22,466 pounds of beef, venison and ostrich jerky products due to undeclared soy. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products, and to the California Department of Public Health for a list of retailers in the state who carried the recalled products.

Food Safety Alert: New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets warns consumers in Oneida County and the surrounding area not to consume unpasteurized raw milk from the Winters Grass Farm due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The advisory follows lab confirmation on March 22, 2017 of Listeria monocytogenes in a sample of unpasteurized milk from Winters Grass Farm. The producer is now prohibited from selling raw milk until subsequent sampling indicates that the product is free of harmful bacteria.

Food Safety Recall: Fred Meyer stores recall Manila Clams, Fr (Item Nos. 093820 and 093824) as the clams may have an unacceptable level of PSP (paralytic shellfish poison) as determined by samples tested by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation.

Food Safety Recall: Lake Farms Raised Catfish, Inc. recalls approx. 1,695 pounds of Siluriformes (Catfish) Fish products due to possible adulteration with Malachite Green and Leucomalachite Green. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall: Ajinomoto Windsor, Inc. (Lampasas, TX) recalls JOSÉ OLÉ TAQUITOS BEEF CARNE DE RES IN CORN TORTILLAS Crispy and Crunchy (60-oz. plastic bags inside of a corrugated carton; case codes 3366365A, 3366365B, 3366365C, 3366365D; Best By date of December 30, 2017; Est. No. M-5590) two consumer complaints of foreign material in its ready-to-eat beef products on March 14, 2017 and March 21, 2017. The foreign materials were pieces of rubber with white plastic that originated from the establishments processing equipment. The recalled product was shipped to retail locations in California, Florida, Illinois, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wyoming.

Food Safety Recall: Pro Sports Club recalls 36,957 20/20 Life Styles brand Yogurt Peanut Crunch bars (2 oz. net wt.; lot code B.B. 22JUL17 (means best by July 22, 2017), UPC Code 78571 00052) because of possible contamination with E. coli O157:H7. The recalled product was manufactured using an ingredient supplied by SoyNut Butter Company.

Food Safety Recall: OK Food, Inc. (Oklahoma City, OK) recalls 933,272 pounds of ready-to-eat breaded chicken products (produced on various dates from Dec. 19, 2016 through March 7, 2017) after the company received five consumer complaints stating that metal objects were found in the ready-to-eat chicken products and by FSIS inspection personnel during verification activities.

Food Safety Recall: ChloroFields (Lawrence, KS) recalls Asian Mix Microgreens (1.5 oz clamshell; sell by date of 3/26/2017; UPC 853763007096) after FDA finds Salmonella in the finished product. The sprouted Microgreens were distributed throughout Colorado, Kansas, and Missouri, and were made available through retail grocery stores, including Whote Foods Markets.

Canada

Allergy Alert: Purposeful Excellence Inc. recalls Booby Boons Lactation Cookies – Chocolate Chip (168g; DEC31/2017) due to undeclared peanut. The recalled product was sold nationally and through Internet sales.

Allergy Alert: Traiteur AL-É-G inc. recalls various prepared dishes due to undeclared mustard and sulfites. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of products.

Food Safety Recall: Frankly Fresh Salads, Inc., and H.Y. Louie Co. Ltd. recall Chef Destinations, Frankly Fresh Salads and Fresh St. brands Fresh Guacamole (300g; Best before 17 MR 22) after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency discovers Listeria monocytogenes contamination in a sample of the product. The recalled products were sold at retail in British Columbia and may have been distributed nationally.

Food Safety Recall: Boucherie Mario Allen inc. recalls Lard au pots maison/Lard in glass jars (500 mL; all lots up to and including 22 March 2017) due to improper storage and labeling.

Food Recall: Gevinoth Yisroel Dairy Products recalls Fresh & Healthy brand Chunk Feta Cheese (227g; Product code JN 27 17; UPC 7 20742 26226 8) due to E. coli contamination. The product was available at retail in Ontario.

Europe

Allergy Alert (Denmark): Biogan A/S recalls LOOV Delicate Ginger Breads (120 g net wt.; Best by 29.03.2017) and LOOV boghvede Brunkager/LOOV Buckwheat Brown Cakes (120g net wt.; Best by 20.03.2017) due to undeclared gluten.

Allergy Alert (Ireland): The Porterhouse Brewing Company advises that Hersbrucker Pils (330 ml bottle; best before 05.10.2017) contains undeclared sulphur dioxide.

Allergy Alert (Sweden): Findus Sverige AB recalls Findus brand Skinkcrêpes/Ham crêpes (250g; Lot L7002VL6343; best before 06.2018 and Lot L7002VL6327; best before 05.2018) due to undeclared fish and seafood.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Mathonet-Gabriel s.a. recalls Mousse de Truite Saumonée Fumée (150g; Best by 04/04/2017; Lot M-0622) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Kakshidi Food Trading ApS recalls Lao Gan Ma Mushroom in Chili Oil (210g net wt.; Best before 17/10/2017) because the product may contain glass fragments.

Food Safety Recall (Ireland): Marks and Spencer recalls M & S Chicken & Vegetable Soup (600g; Use by 30/3/17; Product of UK) due to customer complaints of an off-taint.

Food Safety Recall (Luxembourg): Bonneterre et Cie recalls Bonneterre brand Camembert de Normandie au lait cru Bio/Normandy Camembert cheese made with organic raw milk (250g wooden pkg; Expiry 09/04/2017; Lot 039151) due to Salmonella contamiantion.

Food Safety Recall (UK): Marks and Spencer recalls Chicken and Vegetable Soup (600g; use by date 30 March 2017; product code 00711135) due to possible chemical contamination.

Food Recall (UK): Cleone Foods recalls Island Delight Jerk Chicken Flaky Patties and Island Delight Lamb Shortcrust Patties (140g; 26 March 2017) due to incorrect labelling.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

Food Safety Recall (Hong Kong): The Centre for Food Safety announces a recall of all the frozen and chilled meat and poultry imported from 21 plants currently under investigation by Brazilian authorities.

Australia and New Zealand

Allergy Alert: Yummy Snack Foods recalls Yummy Mini Tub Yoghurt Sultanas (300;g Best Before 8/2/18) due to undeclared peanut. The product was sold at IGAs and independent supermarkets in NSW, QLD, VIC, SA and WA.

Some supermarket chains post recall notices on their web sites for the convenience of customers. To see whether a recalled food was carried by your favorite supermarket, follow the live link to the supermarket’s recall website.

*The Kroger umbrella encompasses numerous supermarket, marketplace and convenience store chains
**Includes Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Dominick’s, Genuardi’s, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Carrs and Pak N’ Save.