Author: Tony Coveny, Ph.D

Tony Coveny, has been practicing infectious disease litigation exclusively for more than a decade, settling cases against major agro-industrial companies, international suppliers, and domestic distributors and manufacturers. Tony Coveny, alongside Ron Simon, has tried cases against restaurants, distributors, national manufacturers, and foreign corporations to recover damages against their clients. From the main office in Houston, which he manages, he speaks to potential and current clients on a daily basis.

The CDC is reporting that the Vulto Listeria Outbreak includes at least 6 confirmed cases of Listeria in Connecticut, Florida, New York and Vermont, ranging in age from newborn to 89 years of age. The first illness was identified in September, 2016, with the most recent victim identified this year.  In many Listeria outbreaks, the vast majority of victims are never identified.  All six victims in the Vulto Listeria Outbreak have been hospitalized. So far, there have been two fatalities. Ill people ranged in age from less than one year to 89, with a median age of 55. The trace-back investigation…

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The FDA Issues a “Suspension of Food Facility Registration Order” to Dixie Dew after identifying insanitary conditions at its facility, likley source of the 29 illnesses in 12 states linked to the SoyNut E. coli Outbreak: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has now issued a “Suspension of Food Facility Registration Order” to the Dixie Dew company located in Erlanger, Kentucky as part of their investigation into the SoyNut E. coli Outbreak. No food may be made or distributed during the suspension. Dixie Dew is the maker of the SoyNut Butter products implicated in the national E. coli O157:H7 outbreak.…

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Colorado’s Beet Box Bakery & Café is at the Center of the  Second Outbreak of a Rare Strain of Salmonella Vichow  Previously Linked to Vegan Food An outbreak of Salmonella Virchow, linked to Beet Box Bakery & Café in mid-to-late 2016, is the second outbreak in the last two years of Salmonella Virchow.  A vegan food source is once again suspected, and some investigators are looking seriously at unpasteurized lemon and lime juice.  Investigators identified the common element in the outbreak as Beet Box Bakery & Café after a number of the victims noted eating at the vegan restaurant, and…

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Robin Hood E. coli Outbreak at Center of O121 Outbreak Injuring More than Two Dozen in Canada The Robin Hood Flour E. coli Outbreak in Canada has grown to more than two dozen victims, this according to the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).  The implicated product, Robin Hood All Purpose Flour, is sold in 10 Kilogram bags with a BB/MA 2018 AL 17 code, and is sold to the public and restaurants in many Canadian states. The 25 victims in the Robin Hood E. coli outbreak of strain O121 have been identified by using advanced analysis…

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Oak Glen Food Poisoning Outbreak Sickens Nearly 50: Bernardino County Leading the Investigation Into the Source of the Oak Glen Christian Conference Center According to a Bernardino County Health Department spokesperson, Lana Coa, at least 47 individuals have become ill with food poisoning after visiting the Oak Glen Christian Conference Center, including visitors from other churches.  One medial outlet identified the visitors as being form “Connecting Point Community Church in Corona,” “Grace and Love Church,” and the “Church in Irvine.”  The camp director, Jerome Wint, declined to make a statement until the investigation is compete. According to the statement by Bernardino County’s Lana…

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ChloroFields Salmonella Recall of  Asian Mix Microgreens After FDA Identification of Salmonella in Sample of Sprouts One of ChloroFields popular items in its Asian Mix Mocrogreens, a product containing its primary product, sprouts.  The company specializes in alfalfa, bean, and other sprouts.   Unfortunately, the FDA has identified salmonella in a sample of the product, causing the company to initiate an immediate recall of the product due to sprout salmonella contamination.  The recall is limited to the Asian Mix Microgreens” with a sell-by date of March 26, at present, but may be expanded if the investigation determines such action is warranted.  According…

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Pro Sports E. Coli Recall: Popular Bellevue Fitness Location Recalls Yogurt Bars For Potential E. coli Contamination A popular work-out facility in Bellevue, Washington, which is associated with two other locations of Pro Sports Club located in Seattle and at Willow Road, has issued a recall.  The recall is of Yogurt Peanut Crunch bars it sells at the location.  The Pro Sports E. coli recall was prompted after E. Coli was found in SoyNut Butter products, as part of the larger I. M. Healthy recall.  In that recall, many of the victims have had to be hospitalized, including cases of…

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6 Victims in 4 States:  Vulto Creamery Listeria Outbreak Continues to Grow after Connecticut and Vermont Victims Die Listeria is a highly dangerous bacteria that is often found in unpasteurized milk products, including soft cheeses.   There are even instances in which Listeria has been found in soft cheeses that are made with pasteurized milk.    In this outbreak, the carrier is Vulto Creamery soft wash-rind cheeses, including Heinennellie, Miranda (named for Jos Vulto’s late wife), Willowemoc, Ouleout (the cheese initially identified as the carrier), Andes, Blue Blais, Hamden, and Walton Umber. The victims have been in Florida, New York, Connecticut, and…

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H&B Packing E. Coli Recall: More than 30 Tons Beef Subject to Recall for E. coli Waco-based H&B Packing Co., Inc. has issued a recall of at least 30 tons of beef on Sunday, March 19th, after the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) found E. coli in the meat.  According to FSIS, about 73,742 pounds of beef product, boneless, was implicated.  The Waco, Texas-based H&B Packing Co., Inc. was founded in 1953 by Henry Heyman and Jake Bauer (Henry’s son-in-law), and states on its webpage: “We stand behind our products with pride, and strive to…

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Fig and Olive Salmonella Outbreak in D.C. Area, in which 159 Victims Identified, has been Traced Back to Truffle Oil According to a recent article by health professionals at the CDC’s center for Epidemic Intelligence Service and the Center for Policy, Planning, and Evaluation, the source of a large Salmonella outbreak in September of 2015 was truffle oil.  The finding supports earlier speculation, but this is the first scientific publication to specifically name truffle oil in the Fig and Olive outbreak.  Ironically, this announcement comes as the statute of limitations is approaching for pursuing a claim against Fig and Olive…

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