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Articles Posted in Food Contamination

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carrot-2309814_640-e1732640911160The Centers for Disease Control has announced  a multistate outbreak of E. coli O121 infections linked to supplier Grimmway Farms bagged recalled, organic carrots and baby carrots, which were sold under several brand names. One person has died and at least 38 people have become ill after the outbreak. The actual numbers may be much higher. The Food and Drug Administration has publicly stated that the carrots may have been contaminated with the Shiga toxin-producing kind of E. coli, which most affects children age 5 years or under and adults who are 65 years or older If you suffered E.coli due to contaminated carrots, you should call the seasoned Chicago-based lawyers of Moll Law Group to learn your legal options. We represent clients around the country and have experience pursuing damages on behalf of those injured by contaminated foods or defective products.

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On November 16, 2024, Grimmway Farms recalled multiples sizes and brands of bagged organic baby and whole carrots due to risk of E.coli contamination. The known cases of E.coli happened in 18 states and from September 6, 2024-October 28, 2024. It’s most likely, officials says, that the carrots being sold in the grocery store now are not affected, but carrots you have in your home might be, even if you’re not in one of those 18 states but are anywhere in the country. It’s important to throw those bagged, organic carrots away and not consume them or return them to the place you bought them.

These products are likely no longer in stores for sale but may still be in your home. The CDC advises throwing away any recalled organic carrots that are in your freezer or refrigerator. You should also wash and sanitize anything that touched them in the dishwasher or by using soap and hot or boiling water. Be on the lookout for serious symptoms. If you have signs of dehydration such as dizziness; diarrhea for more than 3 days that doesn’t improve; vomiting that is so significant you can’t even keep down liquids; or a fever that exceeds 102 degrees, Fahrenheit, you should call your doctor, as these are considered serious E. coli symptoms.

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meat-6054509_1280-e1729015651480The United States Department of Agriculture has announced a recall of almost 10 million pounds of meat and poultry produced by BrucePac, which makes pre-cooked meat, due to concerns that it is contaminated with listeria monocytogenes. A routine test found evidence of the listeria on BrucePac’s product and, importantly, when consumed, contaminated meat can result in a listeriosis. This recall impacts many grocery stores around the country, including Trader Joe’s, Aldi, Amazon, Target, Public, and Walmart. If you developed listeria after eating meat, you may have a claim and should call the trustworthy Chicago-based food safety lawyers of Moll Law Group. We represent clients nationwide and billions have been recovered in cases with which we’ve been involved.

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At first, the USDA and BrucePac warned that about  9,986,245 pounds of meat and poultry that were being recalled. These products had gone to distributors, stores, and restaurants around the country. The USDA has since released a 326-page list of the affected food items, brands, and particular retailers. According to the list, the meats are sold not only individually but are also included in various pre-packaged food items, like frozen food and like salads, sandwiches, and wraps, which are the primary preparations that have been impacted. With affected products, you’ll see establishment numbers “51205” or “P-51205” inside or under a USDA mark of inspection.

Some of the stores affected by the recall are Albertson’s, Kroger, Walmart, Publix, Target, Amazon Fresh, Aldi, Trader Joe’s, 7-Eleven, Meijer, H-E-B, Giant Eagle, Save Mart, and Wegmans. Products affected include Rao’s, Fresh Express, Michael Angelo’s, Dole, Atkins, Jenny Craig, Amazon Kitchen, Taylor Farms, Giant Eagle brand, El Monterey, Don Pancho’s, Ready Meals, Kroger brand, H-E-B brand, RaceTrac brand, Raley’s, Home Chef, Meijer brand, Trader Joe’s brand, Wegman’s brand Udi’s, Red’s, Great Value, Gordon Choice, Good & Gather, Michelina’s, Little Salad Bar, Signature Select, Amazon Fresh, Marketside, Whitson’s Culinary Group, and Contessa Premium Foods. If you’ve bought these products but not consumed them yet, the USDA advises not to eat them and either throw them out or return them to where you bought them. Retailers are advised similarly. It’s important to look closely at the labels as the meat may have been processed elsewhere.

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man-5963976_640-e1728404425414During recycling, according to a recent study, toxic flame retardants used to prevent fires in electronics are getting into the black-colored plastic that’s commonly used in takeout containers, children’s toys, kitchen utensils and grocery meat and produce trays. The most dangerous flame retardants were the ones used in the electronic cases of electronic devices like televisions. These items may be contaminated with worrisome amounts of toxic flame retardants, which have serious adverse health effects. If you or your child was harmed by black-colored plastic, you should call the seasoned Chicago-based product liability attorneys of Moll Law Group about whether you have a viable claim. Billions have been recovered in cases with which we’ve been involved. We represent consumers nationwide.

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The research study, conducted by Toxic-Free and the Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment at Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, was recently published in the journal Chemosphere. It examined black plastics, but the researchers didn’t specify the brand names of what was tested. However there have been studies in other countries that similarly demonstrated that black plastic was contaminated with flame retardants.

It’s common for people to own electronic devices like gaming systems, TVs, smartphones, computers and tablets that include flame retardants in order to prevent fires. Flame retardants are also used in chairs, car upholstery, yoga mats, and padded baby items, and they can spread into the air and attach to food and water, which might then be consumed, or dust. When these items are put into recycling, they can contaminate other things

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dark-2562840_640A new study has found that dark chocolate and other similar cocoa items are contaminated with cadmium and lead. These metals are neurotoxins and they’ve been linked to developmental issues in children, chronic diseases, and cancer. In a sense, because they are in the soil where crops are grown, these heavy metals are present in many different agricultural products, but some crops are more contaminated because there is excessive use of metal-containing fertilizers or proximity to pollution. Chocolate is grown on land that is less contaminated and where fewer pesticides are used. Yet, the journal Frontiers in Nutrition has found that organic dark chocolate—so often recommended by health magazines for certain beneficial properties—contains some of the highest levels of cadmium and lead. If you believe you or your child was harmed by contaminated dark chocolate, contact the seasoned Chicago-based lawyers of Moll Law Group. Our firm represents consumers around the country.

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The new study evaluated test results for 72 consumer cocoa products, tested by Consumer Labs at various laboratories, over an eight-year-period in 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020 to determine their levels of cadmium, lead and arsenic. The new study analyzed six dozen consumer cocoa products for levels of lead, cadmium and arsenic. Levels of arsenic were insignificant.

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sausage-933720_640-e1724040052382There have been three deaths and fifty illnesses requiring hospitalization nationwide in a listeria outbreak tied to Boar’s Head deli meats that started in May. In response to reports that health officials had tested Boar’s Head liverwurst samples and confirmed that the same strain of listeria existed in both, on July 30, the company recalled 7 million pounds of the 70 deli meat products it manufactures and markets, which were made at the Virginia company plan. It has been sued twice in different states; one lawsuit was filed in a Missouri court and the other is a federal class action suit in New York. Stores around the country sold these products, as did stores in Panama, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and the Cayman Islands. If you were harmed by Boar’s head deli meats, please call the seasoned Chicago-based product liability lawyers of Moll Law Group. Billions have been recovered in cases with which we’ve been involved, and we represent consumers around the country.

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One of the lawsuits has been brought by an 88-year-old retired psychotherapist and her husband who had greatly enjoyed Boar’s head braunschweiger from their grocery deli for years. The psychotherapist had loved liverwurst all her life, and as a result of a listeria infection spent nine days in the hospital and 11 days in a rehabilitation center. These are costly expenses. The class action lawsuit alleges that Boar’s Head improperly and deceptively marketed its deli products alleges that the company improperly and deceptively marketed its products.

The median age of victims in the listeria outbreak is 74, but their ages range from 32 to 84. Boar’s Head initial recall of the meats was on July 25th, but then this recall was expanded on July 30, to include its 70 products.

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fruit-7422698_640The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced that a listeria outbreak arising out of stone fruit—nectarines, peaches, and plums—made people in seven states sick. Up to 11 people reported they became sick due to the outbreak. Ten of those people who reported their sickness were hospitalized while one died. The United States Food and Drug Administration determined that there was a connection between the nectarines, plums, and peaches from HMC Farms that were distributed and sold in retail stores around the country between May – Nov. 15 in 2022 and 2023. If you suffered listeria and other ill effects from fruit, you should call the seasoned Chicago-based Moll Law Group about what happened. Billions have been recovered in lawsuits with which we’ve been involved.

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HMC Farms, responding to the FDA announcement, issued a recall for certain conventionally grown fruit. Organic fruit was not recalled. And nectarines, plums and peaches sold at retail and grocery stores were not a part of the recall. The announcement from them noted that the fruit could be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism that can trigger severe and even fatal infections, particularly in those who are pregnant or immune-compromised. When the affected person is pregnant, listeria can lead to losing the baby, giving birth prematurely, or giving the baby a life-threatening infection.

The announcement asked customers to take a look in their freezers to see if they had any of the fruit that was affected or had frozen it for later use.

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Earlier this year, the manufacture of the popular herbicide, Roundup, was found to be liable in a series of product liability lawsuits and ordered to pay a total of $2 billion in punitive damages. In addition to these cases, there are approximately 13,400 others who are waiting for their case to be heard, all of whom claim that glyphosate, the chemical found in Roundup, is responsible for their cancer diagnoses.

Roundup in cereal

Photo Credit: Denis Makulov / Shutterstock.com

Over the years, Roundup has been used to treat crops across the United States. It is also used as a desiccant, or a drying agent, that is sprayed onto crops – especially oats – just before they are harvested. Farmers use glyphosate to kill the crop so that it dries out faster, allowing manufacturers to process the oats more quickly. As a result, it has been suggested that high levels of glyphosate can be found in certain oat products. Thus, the dangerousness of Roundup may not only affect adults who used the product, but also anyone who consumes food containing glyphosate.

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There have been several food contamination and food safety-related items in the news lately, including the shocking story of two Florida individuals who found a dead bat in their pre-washed salad mix package. The company that produced the product, Fresh Express, initiated a recall of packaged salads that may also be affected and began conducting tests on the package to determine if the salad mix was contaminated. According to one report, the bat was so decomposed that testing officials were unable to verify whether the bat carried rabies. This places consumers at serious risk for contracting harmful and dangerous diseases, including food-borne pathogens like salmonella and listeria. Both of these pathogens can lead to serious health consequences that often require hospitalization.

Next, Conagra Brands announced a recall of its Chili Kits after determining that the kits may contain salmonella, another harmful pathogen. For individuals with weakened immune systems like the elderly, pregnant women, and children, salmonella can have devastating consequences and even lead to death in some situations. To date, there have been no reports of salmonella-related illnesses associated with consumption of the chili kits, but the company is urging purchasers to refrain from consuming affected units.

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Food safety is one of the most popular topics in the headlines these days. Whether it is major foodborne illness outbreaks at popular national chain restaurants or contaminated food products on store shelves, consumers face serious risks when food providers and manufacturers fail to take reasonable precautions and to use due care.

Recently, a couple in California filed a lawsuit against the maker of SoyNut Butter, IM Healthy, alleging that one of the spouses suffered serious injuries as a result of consuming SoyNut Butter that was contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The complaint alleges that as a result of the contamination the wife required hospitalization and extensive medical treatment. The complaint also states that she purchased the product at a popular retail store in California.

The outbreak associated with the soy nut butter spread was first identified by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene after a resident of that state who became ill stated that they had consumed SoyNut Butter shortly beforehand. The Centers for Disease Control and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in addition to a number of local health departments, have launched investigations into the outbreak. Recently, IM Healthy initiated a recall for the product and stated that the voluntary recall applied to its Original Creamy SoyNut Butter product that bears a Best By date of August 30, 2018 or August 31, 2018. The company also stated in the recall announcement that the recall was due in part to the FDA’s notice that it was investigating a potential link between the product and cases of E. coli-related illness.

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There are many benefits that our modern food system has to offer, including the ability to ship produce around the globe so that we can enjoy some of our favorite fare throughout the year. This same benefit, however, also exposes consumers to hidden dangers. It’s not always a guarantee that imported food products were produced according to the same food safety standards adopted in the United States.

Recently, China and the European Union ceased imports of meat from Brazil, the world’s largest beef exporter, after police officials alleged that some of the inspectors may be accepting bribes to approve salmonella-contaminated or rotten meats for export. The announcement came as part of an anti-corruption probe in Brazil. Inspectors play a key role in ensuring the safety of meat products, preventing contaminated or diseased meat from entering the food supply and helping to enforce food safety regulations at processing plants.

The police force orchestrated 200 raids involving 1,100 officers in an operation dubbed “carne fraca” in an attempt to obtain additional evidence to corroborate the bribery claims. Following the raids, the police stated that they verified 40 cases of suspected bribery or other wrongdoing, including adding chemicals to expired meat to improve the smell or adding flour or cardboard to sausages to increase volume.

The government responded to the accusation by saying it is false and that it is based on only a few isolated cases. In the meantime, the Brazilian Agriculture Minister suspended exports from 21 meat processing facilities in the country. There are over 4,800 meat processing facilities in Brazil, and the country exports meat products to 150 countries. China’s suspension of meat imports has serious implications for Brazil because China imports roughly one-third of Brazil’s meat exports, accounting for nearly $14 billion.

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