Great Range Bison E. coli Recall
Rocky Mountain Natural Meats of Colorado is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) in voluntarily recalling approximately 66,000 pounds of potentially contaminated bison products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.
The products in question were recalled as part of the investigation into an outbreak of E. coli with cases in Colorado and New York. While the sell-by dates for these products have passed, FSIS is aware that consumers may also freeze the product before use and there is concern that some product may still be frozen and in consumers’ freezers.
Estimates are imprecise, but microbiologists guess that more than 70,000 Americans fall ill every year from E. coli bacterial infections, the largest source of which is contaminated ground beef. Of those infected, more than 5 percent develop life-threatening HUS E. coli, or hemolytic uremic syndrome, the leading cause of kidney failure in children and the leading cause of E. coli deaths.
Here is a list of the recalled buffalo:
One pound packages:
- Great Range Brand Ground Bison label with the UPC# 016447 10090 6, with “sell or freeze by” dates of June 21, 22, and 24.
- Natures Rancher Ground Buffalo label with the UPC # 016447 10091 6 with “sell or freeze by” date of June 22.
- The Buffalo Guys Ground Bison with UPC# 852584 00030 9 and a package date of 0147.
12oz. packages:
- Great Range Brand Bison Steak Medallion with UPC# 016447 10026 5 and a “sell or freeze by” date of June 23 and 24, 2010.
- Great Range Brand Bison Sirloin Steak with UPC# 016447 10226 9 and a “sell or freeze by” date of June 20, 23 and 24, 2010.
Other products:
Various weight boxes of “BISON B TRIM.” These products bear a production date of May 21, 2010 and a Julian Code of 14110. The boxes also state “KEEP REFRIGERATED.”
Update on Colorado Stock Show Outbreak
By Eric Hageman
The 2009 National Western Stock Show (NWSS) in Denver, Colorado, attracted some 650,000 visitors, making it the largest show of its kind in the world.
But this year’s event also left a legacy of E. coli O157:H7 – an outbreak that sickened at least 29 attendees, including two people who suffered HUS, or hemolytic uremic syndrome, a severe complication that attacks a person’s red blood cells and kidneys. A case was considered confirmed if the person got sick on or after January 10; had a laboratory finding of E. coli O157:H7 in the person’s stool, and the molecular fingerprint found in the stool matched the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7.
Local and state health officials discovered the outbreak after noticing a larger than normal volume of E. coli illnesses in the front range area of Colorado. They observed that the patients shared a common experience — attendance at the National Western Stock Show. Later, testing at the event found E. coli O157:H7 bacteria on the ground where animals stood for the “Feed the Animals” portion of the show. Preliminary findings of the stock show outbreak are now public.
At petting zoos, E. coli O157:H7 is a well-known danger. E. coli prevention guidelines were established in 2005 by the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians and later adopted by other organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The E. coli prevention document was updated in 2009 and judging from its contents, the organizers of the stock show in Colorado apparently failed to follow some of the measures.
Pritzker Olsen Attorneys, a national food safety law firm that is one of America’s most experienced practitioners of foodborne illness litigation, is representing survivors of this outbreak and accepting additional clients who may also have gotten sick from the stock show with E. coli bacteria. If you would like to learn more about our firm, visit us on the web, call us at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or email the firm’s president, Fred Pritzker, at fhp@pritzkerlaw.com . We also offer free case consultations online.
E. coli At Stock Show Prompts Call for Families, Schools to Take Precautions
By Kathy Will
Eating contaminated food is still far and away the most common way for people to become infected with E. coli O157:H7, a deadly pathogen that sickens more than 70,000 Americans each year.
But national food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen Attorneys is reminding families early in 2009 that contact with animals at livestock shows, petting zoos and other exhibits is another proven way for the organism to travel.
The law firm’s warning stems from a current E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Colorado. Health officials there are investigating an apparent connection between a growing number of genetically matched infections and attendance at the recent Western National Stock Show in Denver.
According to numerous press reports, at least 20 people who live on the Front Range in Colorado have been infected with the same strain of E. coli. Sixteen of the illnesses are in children who attended the animal exhibit, including a child who is 17 months old. The two-week show drew more than 643,000 attendees before it ended January 25 and health officials expect the number of E. coli O157:H7 infections in the current outbreak to grow.
“This outbreak should not have happened and could have been prevented,” said Fred Pritzker, founder and president of PritzkerOlsen. “When stock shows encourage or permit public contact with animals, there is a well known risk of E. coli O157:H7 infection and equally well known measures that should be in place to prevent such infections.”
Pritzker said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, Inc. (NASPHV) published a compendium of such infection prevention measures almost four years ago.
“Although the matter is still under investigation, it seems likely that rules of this sort were not implemented or followed,” he said.
Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a rare variety of E. coli that produces a toxin that causes severe damage to the lining of the intestine. Specifically, the acute disease caused by E. coli O157:H7 is hemorrhagic colitis. E. coli O157:H7 can also result in hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), the leading cause of kidney failure in children in the United States.
With the understanding that children are more at risk for being seriously injured or killed by E. coli O157:H7 infection, it is imperative for families and school groups to take precautions while attending petting zoos, livestock shows and other animal exhibits.
Based on guidelines set by the (CDC) and the National Ag Safety Database, PritzkerOlsen presents the following strategies to reduce the risk of E. coli transmission in settings with animals:
- Locate hand-washing stations and always wash your hands after being in an area with animals, even if you don’t touch them. Bacteria can be spread by shaking hands, touching railings or coming in contact with soil.
- Running water and soap are best for hand washing. Where there is no running water, hand sanitizing gel is better than nothing.
- Don’t consume food or drinks in any area shared with animals.
- Older adults, pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems and young children should be extra careful.
- Avoid hand-mouth activities such as smoking, drinking or nail biting in any area shared with animals.
- Do not eat or drink raw (unpasteurized) milk or other dairy products.
- Children younger than 5 years old need adult supervision around animals.
- Never allow children to put their hands, toys, pacifiers or other objects in their mouths while around animals.
- Supervise the hand washing of children.
- Even after hand washing, be aware that exposure to E. coli O157:H7 can come from shoes, contaminated clothing or even strollers that were in areas shared with animals.
