Posted on July 10, 2016 in Ecoli

After at least 25 individuals became ill with Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC), the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) linked the outbreak to Carbon Live Fire Mexican Grill. The restaurant is located on 26th street and serves a variety of Mexican fare including tacos, burritos, and margaritas. The restaurant complied with the CDPH's request to investigate the outbreak, which traced the STEC infections to its kitchen.

STEC is a treatable illness, but it can have serious complications, especially in individuals who do not receive adequate treatment in a timely manner. All individuals who ate at this Carbon Live Fire Mexican Grill location recently are urged to seek medical attention if they experience STEC symptoms. In rare occurrences, STEC can cause a victim to become severely dehydrated and ill, requiring hospitalization. Thus far, five victims of this outbreak have been hospitalized. If you become ill with STEC or any other type of food poisoning, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Then, consider filing a personal injury claim to seek compensation for your damages.

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 Posted on July 02, 2016 in Food poisoning attorney

Meat is fully cooked and safe to eat when its juices run clear, right? Actually, this is a myth. Although the color of a cut of meat or its juices can indicate whether it has been cooked to a safe temperature, they alone can not be used to make this determination. The only way to know for sure whether your meat has reached a safe internal temperature, which means that the meat has reached the temperature at which any potentially harmful bacteria within it is dead, is to use a meat thermometer.

Other myths about safe food handling and storage procedures and the process of contracting food poisoning abound. These myths often cause individuals to make unsafe food handling choices and become ill. Familiarize yourself with some of the most common food poisoning myths and their corresponding facts to reduce your chance of suffering from food poisoning.

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 Posted on June 18, 2016 in Food Poisoning

Harmful bacteria is not the only reason that victims become ill after eating certain foods. Sometimes, individuals suffer from allergic reactions from eating specific foods. These reactions can range from fairly benign, like itchy red eyes and a runny nose to anaphylaxis, the intense swelling of the throat, tongue, or other area of the body often accompanied by fever, vomiting, and low blood pressure.

Recently, a Massachusetts family made headlines when they filed a claim against Panera Bread after their allergic daughter was served a grilled cheese sandwich that contained peanut butter. The family allegedly told the cashier at the Panera franchise that their daughter was highly allergic to nuts and that no nut products were to come into contact with her sandwich. The cafe chain stated that the mistake was likely made by an employee with limited English skills who misunderstood the request. Now, the family is seeking compensation, alleging that Panera was negligent by allowing this employee to make the sandwich. Although allergic reactions are not the same as becoming ill with food poisoning, individuals who suffer from reactions because of undeclared allergens in their food, whether the allergen was meant to be there but the food was not labeled correctly or if the allergen somehow contaminated the food, have the right to seek compensation for their damages through food poisoning claims.

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 Posted on June 10, 2016 in Food Poisoning

Every year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) releases its Reportable Food Registry. This is an electronic registry that lists all reportable foods that were submitted to the FDA during the five-year reporting period. The fifth edition, chronicling all instances of reportable food made between September 2009 and September 2014, came out in May 2016.

A reportable food is a food or food product intended for human or animal consumption that, due to recorded instances of illness, has a reasonable probability of causing those who consume it to suffer from food poisoning. When a food item is determined to be reportable, it must be reported to the FDA within 24 hours. This helps the FDA track potential food poisoning outbreaks and work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to slow and contain them. If you find yourself suffering from food poisoning symptoms, seek medical attention to confirm whether your symptoms are due to harmful bacteria and if so, which kind. Then, consider working with a food poisoning attorney to seek compensation for your damages.

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 Posted on June 03, 2016 in Food Poisoning

In late May 2016, General Mills issued a recall for some of its flour products, citing concerns that they could be contaminated with E.Coli bacteria. This came after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracked 38 instances of illness related to E.Coli O121, a specific strain of the bacteria. These instances occurred in 20 states between December 2015 and May 2016. Approximately half of the affected individuals who were investigated linked their illness to homemade baked goods, some of whom used General Mills flour. Thus, the company took this step as a precaution to prevent more consumers from becoming ill.

When a company's product is linked with food poisoning, it can be very difficult for the company's reputation to recover. How well a company recovers from such a report depends on the steps it takes to address and correct the situation. For example, after being linked to various food poisoning outbreaks last year, fast casual eatery Chipotle made significant, publicized changes to how its employees handle food and utensils in stores. By issuing a recall, General Mills is being proactive about protecting its consumers and showing that it cares about their health.

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 Posted on May 30, 2016 in Food Poisoning

When you read about recent food poisoning outbreaks and ways to prevent and treat the different types of food poisoning, you have probably come across a warning about how dangerous food poisoning can be to a pregnant woman and the developing fetus. Generally, adults with normal immune systems only suffer inconvenient, uncomfortable symptoms of food poisoning that subside within a few days. But young children, the elderly, those who are suffering from immune system disorders, and pregnant women can suffer significantly more from food poisoning.

Below are the ways various types of food poisoning can harm a developing fetus. If you are pregnant and you experience food poisoning symptoms like dizziness, diarrhea, vomiting, chills, and fatigue, speak with your doctor about the possibility that you are suffering from food poisoning right away to determine if you need treatment.

Listeria

Listeria, which can grow in soft cheeses and deli meats, can cause a mother to suffer an infection that can be transferred to the fetus. This infection can cause the child to be stillborn or the mother to go into labor prematurely.

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 Posted on May 21, 2016 in Food Poisoning

Some types of food poisoning are more common than others. For example, you tend to hear more reports of Listeria and Salmonella outbreaks than Campylobacter and Shigellosis. Although you might feel like you hear about Listeria every other week, do not brush it off as unimportant. It is important, and knowing which affected food products to avoid is how you can protect yourself and your family from falling ill with Listeriosis, which can have serious complications if it is not treated correctly. This is especially true for individuals with weakened immune systems, such as the elderly, pregnant women, and young children.

Keep yourself aware of the latest food recalls by regularly checking recalls.gov. Also take note of the types of foods that tend to be affected by Listeria, like soft cheeses, deli meats, and smoked seafood, and if these foods are a regular part of your household's diet, pay close attention to any recalls of brands that you buy. If you or your child do contract listeria or any other type of food poisoning and suffer complications that lead to financial damages, consider seeking compensation for your damages through a personal injury claim.

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 Posted on May 15, 2016 in Food Poisoning

Summer brings many different sensations. The warm wind pushing your hair aside, the tickling grass between your bare feet, the warmth of a setting sun against your back, and the various smells and tastes of summertime favorites like s'mores, grilled hot dogs, and ice cream all comfort us through these three months.

These same comfort foods can also cause us to suffer harm if they are contaminated with dangerous bacteria. Ice cream, a particular summertime favorite for millions of Americans, is susceptible to developing Staphylococcus aureus, a dangerous bacteria that can cause the individual who consumes the contaminated ice cream to become ill. The illness caused by this bacteria is also known as a staph infection. Staph infections can have serious side effects for an affected individual and require medical attention to remedy. If you or your child suffers from a staph infection or any other type of food poisoning, seek a doctor's attention as soon as possible.

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 Posted on May 08, 2016 in Food Poisoning

Foods and related products are recalled all the time. Sometimes, a recall happens as a preventative measure after a manufacturer finds a defect in a crop or a shipment of items. Other times, a recall does not happen until consumers, sometimes hundreds, become ill from eating an affected food product. In other cases still, a recall is issued not because of a fear of contamination, but because the product was not produced according to industry- or federally-imposed regulations.

One of the best ways you can protect yourself and your family from succumbing to food poisoning is keeping yourself aware of the current food recalls issued by the Food and Drug Administration or the United States Department of Agriculture. Some of the most recent food recalls to note include:

Greencore USA Wraps and Salads

Greencore USA produces wraps and salads that are sold at various retailers, including Starbucks and Turkey Hill stores. A recent shipment of the products was recalled because it was produced outside of production hours, without federal inspection.

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 Posted on May 01, 2016 in Food Poisoning

When dangerous bacteria is found in food, that food's manufacturer issues a recall as soon as possible to contain the bacteria and prevent any further cases of consumers falling ill with food poisoning after eating it. You can stay up-to-date about the latest food recalls by visiting recalls.gov.

Recalls are not always due to harmful bacteria found in food. Sometimes, non-edible materials make their way into food products during processing, which can harm consumers if they are eaten. This happened recently, when the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported that “extraneous materials,” which included wood, plastic, and metal, were found in samples of cooked chicken products from manufacturer Pilgrim's Pride. These products were sold under various labels, such as Pierce, Sweet Georgia, and Golden Kist Farms, in stores across the United States. The chicken products were also served in schools. Pilgrim's Pride recalled more than 4.5 million pounds of its products, which included breaded chicken nuggets, chicken patties, tenderloins, and popcorn chicken.

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