Author: McKenna Madison Coveny

Animal feces are a significant source of e. coli poisoning. In fact, every year there are outbreaks of e. coli O157:H7, the most common form of Shiga toxin producing e. coli, otherwise known as STEC. STEC can be life threatening, including causing hemolytic uremic syndrome in children, which caused the kidneys to clog and fail. Children often need dialysis and then, in many cases, kidney transplants. Other pathogens, such as salmonella, are also commonly spread through contact with animals. Every year, says e. coli attorney Tony Coveny, Ph.D., “there are outbreaks in which outdoor animals, whether from a farm or…

The big question for consumers browsing their refrigerator or cupboard is what to make of sell-by dates and use-by dates. Together, these are often referred to as expiration dates. The FDA has some suggestions, such as the fact that meat “begins” to deteriorate after the expiration date, but nothing is as clear-cut as, say, internal cooking temperatures. When the FDA says cook to an internal temperature of 165, that is pretty much the end of the story. The FDA does not help much, however, on sell-by dates – and in fact, only requires them on baby food. So how should…

This quote, taken from a recent CNN Business report, reflects a new trend in “food litigation.” Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed over the “depiction” of food by advertisers, including the major fast-food chains like Wendy’s, McDonald’s, Arby’s, Taco Bell, Burger King, and a slew of others. Even such chains as Starbucks are being hit with challenges to how they represent food or beverages either pictorially or in written descriptions. In response to recent litigation, a Burger King representative stated: ““The plaintiffs’ claims are false . . . the flame-grilled beef patties portrayed in our advertising are the same patties…

The recall is aimed at Sunnyside Farms Diced Organic Butternut Squash, which comes pre-diced in plastic containers. The 32-oz. Diced Organic Butternut Squash is manufactured by Safeway Fresh Foods and sold sold at Costco. The suspect use-by date is 09/19/2023, it is item number 20522, and its UPC code is 040232244124. The organic butternut squash product is sold exclusively at Costco stores in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and also in and around the capitol, Washington, D.C. Safeway Fresh Foods is located in Vineland, New Jersey. The testing revealed the presence of Escherichia coli O45, which is rare form of E. coli.…

Nine kids have been sickened at Huntley High School in Chicago County, Illinois. The McHenry County school is the center of the health department investigation as investigators lock for a common cause – a source that was accesses by each of the victims, such as a common food source. The outbreak was identified early last week when the number of students testing positive for STEC was flagged by the McHenry County Health Department. At that time, there were five victims – that number has grown to nine as of today, Wednesday the 27th. Nick Kubiak, the director of the McHenry…

In irony of ironies, the Chicago taqueria that has recently been shut over a salmonella outbreak was found to have stored raw beef above such items as sliced lettuce. Of course, every kitchen chef and trained food service worker knows better – and why? For reasons like this. There is a recall on 60 thousand pounds of ground beef because testing shows it may contain e. coli, a potentially deadly bacteria (like salmonella, only usually worse). Obviously there is no connection between the Carniceria Guanajuato salmonella outbreak in Avondale and the recall of Green Bay Dressed Beef, but the finding…

According to Dr.  Kantha Shelke, a food safety expert at Corvus Blue LLC, “Eggs almost always contain salmonella.” Why is this important? Because when eaten quickly, those “undercooked eggs” (yes, think runny yolks) allow people to eat and enjoy eggs while ingesting the small amounts of salmonella, hopefully not enough to make you sick. But when left out for even a brief time at room temperature, those innocuous eggs can become dangerous. Salmonella bacteria spreads rapidly at room temperature. Eggs aren’t the only food that become dangerous, quickly. Potatoes and rice are notorious for carrying pathogens when eaten as leftovers.…

According to the national Salmonella lawyer, Ron Simon, the latest outbreak of salmonella bacteria, at a Mexican Taqueria in Chicago, was bound to end up in the courts. “The injuries in this outbreak are not only numerous, but also serious in nature,” says Simon, adding “the victims range in age from young to elderly, but several have required extensive hospital stays and could have life-long problems.” According to the Chicago Department of Health, or CDH, the Carniceria Guanajuato, located at 3140 N. California Ave., has a recent history that is concerning. It was inspected on September the 8th, of this…

At least 15 victims have been identified in a botulism outbreak in Bordeaux, all patrons of the Tchin Tchin Wine Bar. One victim has died, and as many as two dozen were exposed to the deadly bacteria. The wine bar is located adjacent to the Rugby World Cup 2023 fan zone in Bordeaux, and enjoyed the patronage of tourists and fans of Rugby. The victims are from all over the European Union, Great Britain, and North America, and include Greek, Irish, Spanish, American, English, French, German and Canadian victims. All of the victims consumed sardines in oil from one of…

In a show of support, and apparent empathy, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith turns emotional while discussing what the children of Calgary re being put through. One doctor described e. coli as akin to “acid” in the wall of the children’s intestines, and referred to it as a “brutal” bacteria. This was confirmed by one national e. coli lawyer, who stated: “E. coli is immediately suspect when a child’s stools become watery and full of blood. Bloody diarrhea is the key to determining if a person has e. coli, a Shiga-toxin producing bacteria. Other bacteria caused diarrhea, but not with this…