Personal Injury Law

Obama Administration fails Salmonella test - At least 27 people in Colorado, California and Wyoming sickened with Salmonella Newport linked to Cargill Hamburger

By Bill Marler, Esq.

California, Colorado and Wyoming health officials said this afternoon that at least 27 people have reported illnesses tied to recalled ground beef tainted with antibiotic resistant Salmonella Newport.  On Thursday, Fresno-based Beef Packers Inc. (Cargill) recalled 825,769 pounds of ground beef produced June 5-23.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service says the beef was sent to retail distribution centers in Arizona, California, Colorado and Utah.  The beef was repackaged and sold under different retail brand names, so customers are being urged to check with their local store to determine if they bought any of the beef.

So far only Safeway, Vons and Sam's Club have been named.  So, Obama Administration, where is the beef?  Why are we still counting bodies when we should be recalling product by actually telling consumers what meat is likely contaminated and where they might have purchased it.  Grade - A for "Cash for Clunkers."  Grade - F for food safety.

Quote of the Day from the LA Times:

Salmonella prefers warm, damp environments with little oxygen, which is why it is so prevalent in manure and other forms of excrement. But it can live in almost any climate. If conditions aren't suitable for growth, it can lie dormant for a year or longer, waiting for the right opportunity.

"It's like the sea monkeys you had as a kid -- you add water and it comes to life," said Bill Marler, a Seattle lawyer who specializes in food-borne illness cases and updates his Salmonella Blog several times a day.

Full post as published by Marler Blog on August 07, 2009 (boomark / email).