Health Law

Illinois food poisoning: good riddance to 2010

By Drew Falkenstein

With another 50+ residents sickened in yet another Salmonella outbreak--this one linked to Jimmy John's alfalfa sprouts and Salmonella I, 4,[5],12, :i---Illinois residents can bid 2010 a fond . . . well, a farewell.  The year, or maybe just the food, has treated them harshly:

Illinois residents from as many as 12 different counties across the state have been sickened in the Salmonella outbreak linked to sprouts served on Jimmy Johns sandwiches.  Jimmy Johns, an Illinois company, acquired the contaminated sprouts from Tiney Greens, which is another Illinois company.  How's that for home cooking during the holidays.

Also just before Christmas, Rolf's Patisserie, a Lincolnwood, Illinois establishment, was linked to an several different outbreaks of staphylococcus aureus that sickened over 100 people.  The Illinois Department of Public Health is working with the CDC, FDA, and other state health departments, because Rolf's products were distributed across the country.  The series of outbreaks has resulted in a rolling recall, now inolving numerous sub-recalls.   

In May and early June, Illinois Subway stores served up Salmonella contaminated sandwiches to customers throughout the state, causing more than 100 confirmed Salmonella Hvittingfoss illnesses, and untold hundreds of unconfirmed illnesses. Health authorities were unable to determine what specific food item was contaminated, but know that it was probably a fresh produce item.

Also last spring, the Skokie Country Club was the site of a large Salmonella outbreak that sickened at least 37 people with confirmed Salmonella enteritidis, causing an estimated 50 unconfirmed illnesses as well.

And in the "granddaddy of them all," no not the Rose Bowl, last winter a Subway restaurant in Lombard, Illinois was the site of a Shigella outbreak that sickened hundreds of people.  On March 4, 2010, the Subway restaurant was closed after multiple Shigella illnesses were linked to Subway sandwiches from the restaurant.  Ultimately, 125 people were confirmed by stool sample as having been involved in the outbreak, with hundreds also made ill.  The restaurant remained closed for over a month during the Dupage County health department's investigation.

Full post as published by Food Poison Blog on December 30, 2010 (boomark / email).