Author: Tony Coveny, Ph.D

Knoxville daycare closed in response to e. coli illnesses After three children became ill with e. coli at a Knoxville daycare, the facility has been closed by the Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS). Kids Place Inc. Millertown Child Care Center was ordered to close all of its locations. Initially, it only closed its Baby House, for children under 2 ½, after a child came to the daycare sick with symptoms of e. coli contamination. However, TDHS has issued a safety plan requiring the daycare to close all of its facilities, including a daycare, after school care, and summer camps.…

French Broad Farm source of e. coli contamination in kids Ten young children have become ill, including four who have been hospitalized with kidney failure, as a result of e. coli contamination in the Knoxville, Tennessee, area. All of these children are under the age of four. Knox County Health Department officials have identified the probable source of the e. coli as raw milk consumed by the children at French Broad Farm in Mascot. Food safety is a serious concern, particularly for young children. Raw milk is unpasteurized and is more vulnerable to harmful bacteria that can make consumers sick.…

Raw milk or animals may be cause of e. coli illness in Tennessee children -Knoxville E. coli Outbreak Ten children have been treated for illnesses caused by e. coli bacteria in the Knoxville, Tennessee, area. Four of those children, all under the age of four, are in serious condition in the intensive care unit at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. The cause of their illnesses is still unknown, although Knox County Health Department officials have identified raw milk exposure and farm animal exposure as two potential sources. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises against drinking raw milk. Raw milk is milk…

Five dead from romaine lettuce e. coli contamination – Romaine Lettuce E. coli Lawyer The number of illnesses associated with e. coli contamination from romaine lettuce consumption continues to rise. These food poisoning cases have now impacted people in 35 states. As of May 31, 2018, the number of ill has risen to 197 and the number of deaths has increased to five. The five deaths have been reported from Arkansas (1), California (1), Minnesota (2), and New York (1). Although the romaine lettuce growing season is over and no lettuce should remain on store shelves or be served in restaurants at…

E. coli outbreak largest in 10 years – Romaine Lettuce E. coli Lawyer Romaine lettuce production has stopped for the season in the Yuma, Arizona, growing area. The recent e. coli outbreak related to this romaine lettuce should also be over at this point, since the shelf life of the remaining lettuce in stores has now passed. However, the e. coli outbreak has affected a significant number of people in the US. It has, in fact, been declared the largest outbreak in the US in 10 years by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The numbers are astounding. The outbreak has affected…

FDA still searching for source of e. coli contamination – Romaine Lettuce E. coli Lawyer The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is conducting a traceback investigation to determine the precise source of the recent e. coli contamination related to romaine lettuce. The lettuce caused illnesses in 172 people across 32 states, most of whom consumed the lettuce in a restaurant or purchased the lettuce from a grocery store. Several people also fell ill after consuming the lettuce at an Alaskan correctional facility. To date, no source of the e. coli contamination has been identified. The contaminated lettuce was grown in the Yuma,…

Ruby’s Pantry pop-up sickens four Three Wisconsin residents and one Minnesota residents have become ill from salmonella contamination associated with Ruby’s Pantry. Several pop-up locations for the restaurant throughout both states distributed a frozen, raw breaded chicken product to consumers. The chicken may have looked fully cooked and was provided to Ruby’s Pantry patrons without a warning that the chicken was actually raw and without cooking instructions. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), Minnesota Department Agriculture (MDA), and local health departments are investigating the situation…

Restaurant responsible for salmonella outbreak re-opens Plain Nuts Catering & Deli in Covington, Georgia, was found responsible for a salmonella outbreak among participants at two events the restaurant had catered. The first event was held in Newton County on April 28 as a closed, invitation-only event and the second was held May 9 in Social Circle. Attendees at both events reported illnesses related to salmonella contamination. There were also reports of illnesses in late April by people who had not attended the event but who had consumed food prepared by the caterer. After cooperating with authorities investigating the salmonella source…

Federal court enjoins restaurant against preparing and distributing fish products Michel Cordon Bleu, Inc., based in Los Angeles, California, has been enjoined by a federal court from preparing, processing, and distributing adulterated fish or fishery products without first taking the required remedial action. The restaurant, owned by Michel G. Blanchet, was found in violation of food safety regulations for processing and distributing seafood products. The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California ordered the injunction against the restaurant, requiring Blanchet to implement various consumer safety measures before resuming the preparation, processing, or distribution of fish or fishery products. The…

Homegrown restaurant patrons fall ill from e. coli Four customers at Homegrown restaurants in Redmond, Kirkland, and Seattle, Washington, have tested positive for e. coli after consuming the restaurants’ food. All four patrons ate the chicken pesto sandwich in late April. Environmental health investigators are working to determine which particular ingredient in the sandwich caused the illnesses. Food safety issues may have been at the root of the e. coli contamination in the restaurants. Inspectors found violations of handwashing regulations at two of the three locations. They also discovered a cold holding temperature violation at one of the restaurants. All…