E. coli Contamination in Beef Raises Food Poisoning Concerns
A Nebraska company is recalling nearly 90 pounds of fresh ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced. This has been classified as a Class I Recall. What this means is that this is a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that use of this product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death. This is only one of many beef recalls nationwide related to E. coli contamination. So far, there have been no reports of illnesses or deaths caused as a result of this food recall. Apparently, the problem was discovered through FSIS microbiological sampling.
E. coli is a potentially lethal bacterium. The most common symptoms of E. coli-related food poisoning include bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and vomiting. Young children and the elderly are the most vulnerable to E. coli infections and developing a condition known as Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). This can cause potentially deadly kidney failure. Most of these cases develop after several days of diarrhea – often bloody – due to infection with a specific strain of E. coli. Both children and adults may develop HUS after E. coli infections.
The best way to avoid food-borne illnesses such as E. coli is to safely prepare your raw meats by cooking it to a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. You can check whether your ground beef has been cooked to a sufficiently high temperature by using a food thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the meat.
If you or a loved one has been afflicted with E. coli, salmonella or any other food-borne illness, please contact one of the experienced Seattle personal injury attorneys at the Bernard Law Group for a free and comprehensive consultation. Please remember that the food producer, distributor or the establishment that serves you with the contaminated food can be held liable in your case. In such cases, victims may seek compensation to cover medical bills, cost of hospitalization lost wages and other damages. Call the experienced team of legal professionals led by Kirk Bernard today.
Source: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_063_2009_Release/index.asp
