FSnet Aug. 10/08

WASHINGTON, DC: Whole Foods was unaware of beef's processor

BLOG: Nebraska Beef E. coli now linked to illnesses in Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Utah, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Canada - It is time from Dorothy Lane, Kroger, Whole Foods and Coleman Natural Meats make better decisions.

MALAYSIA: 43 pupils fall ill after eating chicken nuggets

BLOG: Marler Clark calls on S&S Foods to pay E. coli boy scouts' medical bills and parents' lost wages

CHINA: Tummy-troubled Koreans show guts for glory

WASHINGTON, DC: Brasher: Unsafe food leads to calls for increased FDA authority more authority

EDITORIAL: When dinner makes you sick

NEW HAMPSHIRE: NH health-care workers handwashing put at 69 percent

UK: Agency warns of possible allergen contamination

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WASHINGTON, DC: Whole Foods was unaware of beef's processor
10.aug.08
Washington Post
Annys Shin and Ylan Q. Mui
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008103330_beef10.html
WASHINGTON -- Whole Foods Market has pulled fresh ground beef from all of its stores, becoming the latest retailer affected by an E. coli outbreak traced to one of the nation's largest meatpackers. It's the second outbreak linked to Nebraska Beef in as many months.
The meat Whole Foods recalled came from Coleman Natural Foods, which unknown to Whole Foods had processed it at Nebraska Beef, an Omaha meatpacker with a history of food-safety and other violations.
Nebraska Beef in July recalled more than 5 million pounds of beef produced in May and June after its meat was blamed for another E. coli outbreak in seven states. On Friday, it recalled an additional 1.2 million pounds of beef produced on June 17, June 24 and July 8, which included products eventually sold to Whole Foods.
Whole Foods officials are investigating why they were not aware Coleman was using Nebraska Beef as a processor, spokeswoman Libba Letton said.
The chain's managers took action after Massachusetts health officials informed them Aug. 1 that seven people who had gotten sick from E. coli O157:H7 had bought ground beef from Whole Foods. The same strain has sickened 31 people in 12 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.
Tests have not found contaminated Whole Foods beef, Letton said.
Plant under scrutiny
The latest outbreak was identified in late July among customers of Dorothy Lane Market, a small Ohio grocery chain based in Dayton. Dorothy Lane also bought meat from Coleman Natural Foods, which bought primal cuts — meat intended for steaks and roasts — from Nebraska Beef.
The E. coli strain found in the Massachusetts Whole Foods customers matches that Ohio strain. William Lamson Jr., a Nebraska Beef spokesman, said the company and the USDA had increased testing of its meat since then. It has found no E. coli O157:H7 in products made since July 8.
He said that since June, Nebraska Beef has hired food-safety consultants and undertaken a review of its processes. USDA is doing the same.
"We will continue to investigate to see what is happening at the plant to see what they have to do to get a handle on their food safety issues," agency spokeswoman Laura Reiser said.
Repeated violations
Nebraska Beef has a contentious history with USDA. In the past six years, federal meat inspectors have written it up repeatedly for sanitation violations, and the company has fought back in court.



 
BLOG: Nebraska Beef E. coli now linked to illnesses in Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Utah, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Canada - It is time from Dorothy Lane, Kroger, Whole Foods and Coleman Natural Meats make better decisions.
09.aug.08
Marler Blog
E. coli Attorney
http://www.marlerblog.com/2008/08/articles/legal-cases/nebraska-beef-e-coli-now-linked-to-illnesses-in-georgia-indiana-kentucky-michigan-new-york-ohio-utah-massachusetts-pennsylvania-and-canada-it-is-time-from-dorothy-lane-kroger-whole-foods-and-coleman-n
If I poisoned 85 people, my guess is that I would be facing serious jail time (I can see the Raw Milk and Big Beef folks dancing now). However, if you're a company, like Nebraska Beef, that slaughters about 2,000 head of cattle a day, employs about 800 people in Omaha and has successfully sued the USDA, rules just do not seem to apply.
As I posted last night, Nebraska Beef, "EST 19336," late Friday night recalled an additional 1.2 million pounds of beef products that have sickened more than 30 people. This is in addition to the 5.3 million pounds of meat that has been linked to at least other 49 cases of E. coli O157:H7 in seven states.
As I also posted last night, some of Nebraska Beef's products were sold by Whole Foods Market (supplied buy Coleman Natural Meats), which also announced a recall Friday. Whole Foods is recalling fresh ground beef sold between June 2 to August 6.
Now, do not forget that Dorothy Lane Market of Ohio also recalled (earlier this month) E. coli O157: H7-tainted meat after two children, and four other, were sickened with E. coli O157:H7 traced to ground beef produced by supplier Coleman Natural Meats. Coleman Natural Meats supplier – you guessed it - Nebraska Beef. So, does that mean the number of ill is 85?
So, USDA/FSIS is a bit frightened of Nebraska Beef? Tell that to the 79 - 85 people sickened – some still in ICU's across this country. Personally, I think it is time for the USDA/FSIS to get some "bolas" – or at least give Nebraska Beef a "time out." Me, I am going to do what I do – sue them on behalf of people they poisoned – hoping first to fairly compensate my clients and afterwards teach Nebraska Beef a lesson – Nebraska Beef, can you say, Bankruptcy?
I also think it is time for companies that use Nebraska Beef products, like Dorothy Lane, Kroger, Whole Foods and Coleman Natural Meats, to step up and ask if you should be doing business with such a company? You know, just like "ignorance of the law is no excuse," ignorance of your suppliers puts you in my legal cross hairs.
According to Human Rights Watch:
In 1995, investors purchased an abandoned, decaying, half-century-old meatpacking plant, one of many that dot the mixed-use neighborhood of South Omaha. The renovated plant became the home of Nebraska Beef Ltd., the seventh-largest beef packing company in the United States. Today, the smell of thousands of live cattle awaiting slaughter, and the stench of blood and offal from dead cattle, permeates the low-rise apartment buildings, modest homes, and small commercial shops in the area.
Nebraska Beef Ltd. is a privately-held firm which does not file annual reports with the U.S. federal Securities and Exchange Commission. Nebraska Beef was founded in 1995 by a group of investors led by company president William Hughes in alliance with Day Lee Inc., the U.S. arm of Nippon Ham of Japan. Eighteen investment groups and individuals invested more than $12 million in the new enterprise. Hughes had earlier been executive vice president of another Omaha beef processing plant called BeefAmerica, which was closed in October 1993, eliminating nine hundred jobs. When it opened, Nebraska Beef got $7.5 million in state tax credits under Nebraska's "Quality Jobs" initiative granting such credits to firms that create new jobs. Nebraska Beef has annual sales of more than $800 million and capacity for slaughtering three thousand head of beef per day.



 
MALAYSIA: 43 pupils fall ill after eating chicken nuggets
10.aug.08
The Star
http://news.asiaone.com/News/Education/Story/A1Story20080810-81557.html
JOHOR BARU, MALAYSIA -- A total of 43 pupils from SK Taman Daya 2 suffered food poisoning after they were believed to have eaten chicken nuggets at the school canteen.
The pupils suffered abdominal pains and started vomiting yesterday after consuming the food.
State Women, Family, Community Development and Health committee chairman Dr Robiah Kosai was quoted as saying, "We suspect the food poisoning was caused by eating the nuggets but we will investigate further."



 
BLOG: Marler Clark calls on S&S Foods to pay E. coli boy scouts' medical bills and parents' lost wages
09.aug.08
Marler Blog
E. coli Attorney
http://www.marlerblog.com/2008/08/articles/lawyer-oped/marler-clark-calls-on-ss-foods-to-pay-e-coli-boy-scouts-medical-bills-and-parents-lost-wages/index.html
"Blog Release"
Bill Marler, food safety advocate and E. coli attorney, whose Seattle law firm, Marler Clark, has been contacted by victims of the E. coli outbreak traced to the S&S's hamburger recall and outbreak that has sickened at least 80 Boy Scouts, called today on S&S to pay the medical bills and lost wages of all individuals who became ill with E. coli infections as part of the outbreak.
"We know that at least eight became ill with E. coli infections after eating S&S hamburger," Marler said. "The cost of treating victims of E. coli infections can run in the tens of thousands of dollars, or in a severe case, even in the hundreds of thousands of dollars," Marler continued. "These families need S&S to do more than promise to cooperate in the investigation into this outbreak. They need to know that S&S intends to fulfill its corporate responsibility by looking out for its customers."
Marler noted that in other outbreak-situations companies such as Chi-Chi's, Dole, Jack in the Box, Con Agra, Odwalla and Sheetz advanced medical costs for outbreak victims whose illnesses were traced to their food products.
Since the Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak in 1993, Bill Marler has represented thousands of E. coli victims against corporations such as AFG, Bauer Meats, BJ's Wholesale Club, Byerly's, ConAgra, Cub Foods, Dole, Emmpak, Excel, Finley School District, Fresno Meat market, Gold Coast Produce, Habaneros, Interstate Meats, Jack in the Box, Karl Ehmer, Kentucky Fried Chicken, King Garden, Kroger, Lunds, McDonalds, Odwalla, Natural Selections, Nebraska Beef, Olive Garden, Peninsula Village, Pat & Oscar's, PM Beef Holdings, Sam's Club, Sizzler, Spokane Produce, Sodexho, Supervalu, Taco Bell, Taco John's, Topps, United Food Group (UFG), Walmart, Wendy's and Whole Foos. Total recoveries on behalf of victims are in excess of $300,000,000.
Several times a month Bill, through the non-profit OutBreak, Inc., speaks to industry and government throughout the United States, Canada, China and Australia on why it is important to prevent foodborne illnesses. He is also a frequent commentator on food litigation and safety.



 
CHINA: Tummy-troubled Koreans show guts for glory
09.aug.08
Reuters
Peter Rutherford
http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-Olympics/idUSSP28863820080809
ParkKyung-mo proved on Saturday not even a bout of diarrhea can keep a good South Korean archer down.
Park finished in fourth place in the men's Olympic archery ranking round, ahead of countrymen Im Dong-hyun (eighth) and Lee Chang-hwan (10th). South Korea were well clear at the top of the team standings ahead of Ukraine and Malaysia. "Today my condition was not good because I have a problem with the food," Park lamented.
"I have had diarrhea. So have all the Korean archers."



 
WASHINGTON, DC: Brasher: Unsafe food leads to calls for increased FDA authority more authority
10.aug.08
Des Moines Register
Philip Brasher
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080810/BUSINESS01/808100332/-1/NEWS04
Washington, D.C. – U.S. lawmakers are, according to this story, taking aim at the Food and Drug Administration. The agency regulates 80 percent of the food Americans eat but has only a fraction of the funding and the staff of the Agriculture Department, which regulates the other 20 percent, primarily meat.
Little is likely to get done this year - it's too close to the election - but a food agency overhaul is likely to be high on the congressional agenda next year. The food industry, which once resisted increased regulation, has been hammered with one costly outbreak after another. The latest, involving a strain of salmonella bacteria, devastated the U.S. tomato industry before it was linked instead to Mexican-grown jalapeno peppers.
The agency itself is asking for more authority.
"You will see the food industry being supportive of government action," said Bryan Silbermann, president of the Produce Marketing Association. "We've seen what's happened over the last eight years of government inaction."
Three of the top four Republicans on the Senate committee that oversees the agency — Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and Richard Burr of North Carolina — are cosponsoring a bill that aims to do for that agency what Congress did this year for the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The bill, introduced by Illinois Democrat Richard Durbin, authorizes the food agency to set commodity-specific safety standards for produce and require importers to verify that their foods they're bringing were produced according to U.S. rules.
The food administration also would be authorized to certify third-party inspections of domestic and foreign food facilities and would be empowered for the first time to require recalls of tainted products. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Ia., is a bill cosponsor.
"There are parts of this bill that you couldn't (previously) bring Republicans around to," Durbin said, citing the recall authority as an example.
A separate food agency overhaul bill is under development in the House.
The produce industry's frustration with the current system spilled out at a recent hearing by the House Agriculture Committee on the salmonella outbreak.
Anthony DiMare, vice president of a family-run tomato company, told the committee that sales dropped 60 percent after tomatoes were initially fingered as the source of the outbreak. Operations were off 20 percent at the end of July. The outbreak was eventually traced to jalapenos.
"We don't know how long it will take for consumer confidence in fresh tomatoes to rebound," DiMare told the panel.



 
EDITORIAL: When dinner makes you sick
10.aug.08
The Boston Globe
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2008/08/10/when_dinner_makes_you_sick/
How many more times will vegetable growers have to plow under their crops after a food poisoning incident, since consumers stop buying the suspect produce and federal officials have no quick way to trace contamination to its source?
Growers lost $250 million this spring and summer when an outbreak of salmonella was originally linked to certain tomatoes. Last month, the US Food and Drug Administration announced that the bacteria were probably on jalapeno peppers, but the unsellable tomatoes had already been destroyed.
In 2006, spinach growers said an outbreak of E. coli poisoning cost them $350 million. The losses in such cases would be less if regulators required growers, processors, and retailers to maintain a traceback system with computerized records. Until now, the industry has fought off calls for traceability because of cost. But the spinach, tomato, and pepper cases demonstrate the high price of inaction. Representatives of all levels of the industry should sit down with government officials and devise a system that does the job without breaking the bank.



 
NEW HAMPSHIRE: NH health-care workers handwashing put at 69 percent
09.aug.08
UnionLeader.com
Nancy West
http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=NH+health-care+workers+handwashing+put+at+69+percent&articleId=fc7c23f3-6a56-4219-897d-0755f642c914
Although proper hand-washing would go a long way toward eliminating hospital-acquired infections, a statewide survey showed only 69 percent of health care workers did so before and after contact with patients and their environments at hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers.
A New Hampshire Health Care Quality Assurance Commission survey used trained observers in November and December of 2007 to watch who does and who doesn't wash their hands in hospitals.
During 4,000 observed opportunities for doctors, nurses and other personnel to wash their hands in the state's 26 hospitals and 13 surgery centers, handwashing wasn't done 31 percent of the time, according to the commission's June 1, 2008, annual report.



 
UK: Agency warns of possible allergen contamination
09.aug.08
Food Standards Agency
http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2008/aug/raisins
The Agency has been informed that a batch of 'Snacking Essentials' 100g packets of milk chocolate covered raisins, best before April 09, has been withdrawn because of possible contamination with milk chocolate covered peanuts.
The Agency will update consumers on Monday.
 


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