Source of Boy Scout's E. coli O157:H7 Found: Meat Recalled

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, in conjunction with the Virginia Department of Health, has traced the source of the Virginia Boy Scout camp E. coli O157:H7 outbreak to a California meat processor.

As a result of the investigation, S&S Foods of Azusa, CA has recalled approximately 153,630 pounds of ground beef. The 30-pounds boxes of bulk ground beef bear establishment number 20375 and a case code that begins with 06238. The meat, which was intended for food service and institutional use only, was shipped to distribution centers in Milwaukee, WI and Allentown, PA.

There is no indication that the Boy Scout outbreak was linked to the Nebraska Beef outbreak. And I'm informed by a reliable source that the Boy Scout outbreak strain is different from the E. coli O157:H7 strain that has infected several people in Massachusetts, several other US states and the province of Quebec, Canada.

I guess we can look forward to at least one more recall.

E. coli O157:H7 Travels East

Another multi-state outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 has been simmering this summer, according to a news release issued yesterday by the State of Massachusetts Department of Health and Human Services.

Six people in three Massachusetts counties – Essex, Middlesex and Suffolk – have been diagnosed with E. coli O157:H7 infections, all caused by the same strain. The victims range between 3 and 60 years old. They became ill during the period of July 10-16. Five were hospitalized.

The outbreak strain in the Massachusetts illnesses apparently has been linked genetically to E. coli O157:H7 isolated from patients in several other states and the Province of Quebec. While the source of the contamination has not been identified definitively, ground beef is suspected and USDA has joined the investigation.

There's no mention in the news release as to whether the genetic profile of this outbreak strain was compared to either the Nebraska Beef strain or the E. coli O157:H7 strain that has been responsible for sickening at least 18 Boy Scouts in Virginia during the week of July 20-26. The other states touched by this outbreak investigation have not been identified in the Massachusetts news release.

Also not mentioned in the Massachusetts release is whether or not CDC is getting involved in this investigation. CDC involvement would be appropriate in any multi-state outbreak, and especially one that might have crossed an international border.

Boy Scouts Not Prepared – Suffer E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak

Just like the proverbial (dare I say it?) Jack-in-the-box, E. coli O157:H7 has been springing up over and over again this year.

Just about everyone who follows food safety news has heard, by now, of the Nebraska Beef recall triggered by a multi-state outbreak of E. coli O157:H7. According to CDC, the contaminated meat was responsible for at least 49 illnesses in seven states. The actual toll was probably even higher.

But there was also an outbreak following a reception in Sarpy County, Nebraska in March. A recent outbreak in Connecticut was traced to raw milk from Town Farm Dairy. Two more small outbreak clusters were reported in Nebraska in July. Yet another cluster erupted in the Dayton, Ohio area, also in July.

And now E. coli O157:H7 has struck at the heart of that international icon of preparedness – the Boy Scouts of America.

On July 31st, the Virginia Department of Health reported that 11 attendees at a Boy Scout camp in Goshen, VA had been diagnosed with E. coli O157:H7 infections. The victims were at the camp the week of July 20th to July 26th. The number of lab-confirmed cases has since grown to 18, according to a report in the Washington Post, and as many as 60 more people have reported symptoms. Two of the campers are undergoing treatment for hemolytic uremic syndrome.

While the source of the pathogen has not yet been identified, suspicion is falling on "...foil-packaged meals that included ground beef and vegetables..." This camp staple is typically cooked over a fire by the campers. The camp has removed ground beef from its menu as a precaution.

Virginia health officials can be pardoned for feeling a sense of déjà vu. In 1994, 18 campers and two counselors at a summer camp in the state were the victims of an outbreak of bloody diarrhea caused by E. coli O157:H7. The outbreak was traced to consumption of undercooked, contaminated ground meat.

Other states and countries also have experienced their share of summer camp outbreaks of E. coli O157:H7.

• 2006: A Palisades, New Jersey day camp, complete with petting zoo and swimming pools, reported an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 that sickened several children – most of them 5-year old girls.
• 2004: A Sudbury, Ontario hockey camp suffered an outbreak that sickened 30 campers and staffers – again due to undercooked, contaminated ground beef.
• 2003: A New Deer, Scotland boy scout camp experienced an outbreak that was due to environmental contamination. The camp was located at an agricultural fairground and heavy rains spread the pathogen, which sickened 20 campers.

According to the Washington Post article, campers are enjoying their experience in spite of the outbreak – "...working on merit badges, learning celestial navigation on night hikes, motorboating and shooting rifles."

Perhaps a new merit badge – Principles of Food Safety – should be added to the Boy Scouts' syllabus.

E. coli O157:H7 Flare-Up

He's baaaack!

Bill Marler reported this morning that six people in the Dayton, Ohio area have been infected by E. coli O157:H7 in the last two weeks. The cases, apparently are linked to ground beef purchased from three local-area markets.

Two of the victims purchased their meat from the Dorothy Lane Market location on Washington Square. Dorothy Lane has recalled all ground beef labeled with "sell by" dates between June 9th and July 29th.

Dorothy Lane procured its meat from the same Nebraska Beef plant that was implicated in last month's seven-state outbreak of E. coli O157:H7. There's no information as yet whether the same strain of E. coli O157:H7 is responsible for this current rash of illnesses.

There are still some loose ends dangling from the earlier outbreak, most notably in Georgia. While the meat that infected at least eight people in Colquitt County originally came from Nebraska Beef and was contaminated with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7, the Georgia meat was not part of the 5.3 million pound Nebraska Beef recall. Nor was the Georgia meat recalled subsequently.

The Georgia illness cluster arose in late June, putting it in the same date range as the meat recalled by Dorothy Lane. Might the Georgia and Dayton clusters be linked? We should have a better idea in the next week or two.

Nebraska Beef Outbreak: And Utah Makes Seven

CDC announced this evening that a seventh state – Utah – has been added to those reporting at least one lab-confirmed case of E. coli O157:H7 in the outbreak linked to contaminated beef supplied by Nebraska Beef.

The agency now reports a total of 49 cases: Georgia (4), Indiana (1), Kentucky (1), Michigan (20), New York (1), Ohio (21), and Utah (1). The most recent victim became ill on July 1st. Twenty-seven people have been hospitalized, and at least one is suffering from hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

The wide distribution of the contaminated meat probably means that other previously unexplained cases of E. coli O157:H7 may eventually be tied to this outbreak. Certainly, the recognized number of cases in Georgia is likely to rise as CDC completes its evaluation of the Colquitt County data. And the number of recognized HUS victims will also increase as CDC continues to fold the Georgia data into the totals.

There has been no official word from USDA on the progress of the Nebraska Beef and Kroger recalls. The agency has neither confirmed nor denied an earlier report that contaminated meat found at the Barbecue Pit restaurant in Georgia was not on Nebraska Beef's July 3rd list of recalled items. Nor has the recall been expanded further.

Perhaps USDA and Nebraska Beef are hoping that all of the contaminated meat has been discarded – or consumed.

CDC Acknowledges Georgia Affected by Nebraska Beef Outbreak

CDC finally got the word. In its E. coli O157:H7 outbreak update, released late this afternoon, the agency added Georgia to the list of states affected by the outbreak linked to beef and beef trimmings supplied by Nebraska Beef. That company recently recalled approximately 5.3 million pounds of beef in response to the outbreak.

The tally of victims, according to CDC, now stands at 45 people in six states: Georgia (1), Indiana (1), Kentucky (1), Michigan (20), New York (1), and Ohio (21). Twenty-three people have been hospitalized – one with hemolytic uremic syndrome.

But there are some discrepancies between the CDC report and information that has been released by Michigan and by the Southwest Georgia Public Health District 8-2.

CDC recognizes only 20 lab-confirmed cases in Michigan. As long as a week ago (July 9th), the Michigan Department of Community Health reported 22 lab-confirmed cases, of which 12 were hospitalized.

Even more glaring is the difference between CDC and county data in the Georgia outbreak cluster. CDC has acknowledged just one case from Georgia, whereas the Public Health District has reported 8 confirmed cases and 4 probable cases.

All of the Georgia cases are linked to the Barbecue Pit restaurant, which purchased meat – through a distributor – that originated with Nebraska Beef. A sample of ground beef obtained from the restaurant was found to be contaminated with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7.

How many more states have experienced either sporadic cases – or clusters – of E. coli O157:H7 illness that are part of this same outbreak?

E. coli O157:H7 - Moultrie (Georgia) Still On My Mind

I know that bureaucratic millstones grind slowly, but this is getting ridiculous.

CDC has – at last – posted an update on what began as the Ohio/Michigan E. coli O157:H7 outbreak. CDC is reporting a total of 44 confirmed cases of E. coli O157:H7 in five states: Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky and New York. Twenty-one of the victims needed hospitalization, including one patient who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome.

All of these cases are linked to beef and beef trimmings that have since been recalled by their producer – Nebraska Beef – and by The Kroger Company, through which much of the meat was sold as ground beef. According to USDA, none of the meat included in the recall is still available in stores; but consumers are advised to check their refrigerators and freezers and discard any ground that is included in the recall notices.

Someone, though, seems to have mislaid the state of Georgia. According to a communiqué released by the Southwest Georgia Public Health District 8-2, a cluster of 8 lab-confirmed and 4 probable E. coli O157:H7 cases in the Colquitt County have been linked by molecular fingerprinting to the Nebraska Beef outbreak.

All of the Georgia victims ate at the Barbecue Pit restaurant in Moultrie. USDA has confirmed the presence of the outbreak strain in a sample of ground beef obtained from the Barbecue Pit restaurant. The Barbecue Pit's management has confirmed that it purchased sirloin beef for grinding from a distributor that, in turn, purchased meat from Nebraska Beef.

Colquitt County, GA knows about this cluster – the local media carried regular updates on the story. USDA knows about this cluster – it confirmed the presence of the outbreak strain in the meat sample. Georgia's state laboratory knows about this cluster – it identified and fingerprinted the cultures obtained from the eight confirmed victims. So why doesn't CDC know about this cluster?

For the record, including the Georgia cluster, there are now 52 lab-confirmed cases of E. coli O157:H7 in six states: Ohio, Michigan, New York, Indiana, Kentucky and Georgia. Five of the victims – including four in Georgia – have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome.

USDA hasn't covered itself with glory either. According to WALB News in Albany (GA), the sirloin beef that was supplied to the Barbecue Pit "...shares the same dates as the beef in the Nebraska Beef recall, but the meat cut itself does not appear to be part of the recall." If this is so, why has USDA not insisted that Nebraska Beef expand its recall once again?

USDA announced last Friday that it will finally begin to release the names of retail stores that have received recalled meat and poultry products – "...generally within three to ten business days..." of issuing a recall notice. This new policy will take effect next month. Unfortunately, the agency will not release the names of restaurants, food service facilities or distribution centers who have been supplied with recalled meat and poultry items.

USDA's new policy is a small step in the right direction – putting additional information in the hands of consumers. But it will only be useful if the agency also can convince suppliers of contaminated products to recall them promptly.

I'm left wondering whether either USDA or CDC have the institutional mentality and dexterity to respond quickly and effectively to contain outbreaks of food-borne disease.

Tomatoes and Ground Beef: Another Update

CDC has published further updates to the case totals for both the Salmonella Saintpaul and the E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks that are currently under investigation.

Salmonella Outbreak

As of 9pm yesterday evening, federal and state health agencies have confirmed a total of 756 cases of Salmonella Saintpaul infection linked to contaminated tomatoes. Ninety-five people have been hospitalized.

Texas is the hardest-hit state, with 330 cases; New Mexico is next, with 80. Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia have each reported at least one lab-confirmed infection with the outbreak strain.

E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak

The number of victims of the contaminated ground beef – recalled yesterday evening by Kroger – has risen to 33. Sixteen of the lab-confirmed cases were reported by Michigan; 17 are from Ohio. Seventeen of the patients have been hospitalized, one with kidney failure – a common manifestation of hemolytic uremic syndrome.

Ground Beef Update: June 26th

CDC posted an update yesterday evening on the federal and state investigations of the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Ohio and Michigan. According to CDC's most current information, there have been 32 lab-confirmed victims so far – 17 in Ohio and 15 in Michigan. All of the victims fell ill between May 30th and June 11th.

Fourteen people have been hospitalized so far – one with kidney failure associated with hemolytic uremic syndrome. No one has died.

The source of the outbreak has been traced to ground beef sold in Kroger supermarkets in Michigan and some parts of Ohio. Yesterday evening, Kroger announced a voluntary recall of the contaminated ground beef. The company is cooperating with USDA officials in their trace-back investigation.

More Breaking News: Kroger's Recalls Ground Beef

In reaction to the confirmed detection of the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 in a sample of ground beef sold by a Kroger store in Ohio, The Kroger Company has just announced a voluntary recall of "...all ground beef products that were sold between May 21 and June 8, 2008 at its stores throughout Michigan and in central and northern Ohio (Columbus and Toledo areas)."

In its press release, Kroger requests customers to check their freezers and to return unused ground beef to the store for a refund or replacement. None of the suspect ground beef is available for purchase at Kroger stores at this time.

The company is cooperating with USDA efforts to trace back the source of the contaminated meat. Customers with questions about the recall can contact Kroger toll-free at (800) 632-6900.

Breaking News: E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak Update

The Ohio Department of Health and the Ohio Department of Agriculture jointly announced today that the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 has been identified in a sample of ground beef provided to state investigators by one of the outbreak victims. The sample had been purchased at the Kroger Marketplace in Gahanna, Ohio.

USDA is conducting a trace-back investigation to determine the source of the contaminated ground meat. Kroger's is cooperating with the government efforts.

Ohio is continuing its investigation into 19 cases of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses that are linked to the contaminated ground beef and also are linked to 15 cases in Michigan. According to CDC, all of the victims became infected in late May and early June.

If you have eaten cooked ground meat and have experienced any symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 infection, please contact your health care professional and your local public health office. This outbreak may extend beyond the states of Ohio and Michigan.

E. coli O157:H7 Found In Ohio Ground Beef Sample

Health officials in Ohio and Michigan, along with representatives of USDA and CDC, continue to investigate an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 that has sickened at least 15 people in Michigan and 19 in Ohio. Ten of the 15 Michigan victims have been hospitalized. The identical strain of E. coli O157:H7 is responsible for the illnesses in both states.

The Michigan Department of Community Health reported yesterday that more than half of the patients in that state purchased and consumed ground beef from Kroger Food Stores. Officials are continuing their interviews and trace-back activities. Until the investigation is complete, they caution that meat from other retail outlets might also be implicated in the outbreak.

Meanwhile, Ohio reported that it has isolated E. coli O157:H7 from a ground beef sample obtained from one of that state's outbreak victims. Further tests are underway to determine whether the isolate is genetically identical to the outbreak strain.

According to CDC, which has finally posted a progress report on this investigation, all of the victims became ill in late May and early June. Fourteen have been hospitalized so far – one with symptoms of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The victims are between 9 and 78 years old, and just over one-half are female.

Attorney and blogger Bill Marler reported this morning that he has been contacted by E. coli O157:H7 victims in other states who, he suspects, might be part of a broader outbreak. So far, CDC is silent on the prospect that this same outbreak strain might be present elsewhere in the country's meat supply. Let's hope that CDC and USDA investigators are doing some data back-checking.

Ground Beef Recall: E. coli O157:H7 Visits Hawaii

Palama Holdings, located in Kapolei, Hawaii, has recalled 68,670 pounds of ground beef because it may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, according to a May 8th news release from USDA. The recalled ground beef was produced April 9, 2008, through April 21, 2008 and was distributed throughout the the state of Hawaii.

The recall includes 1/4 pound and 1/3 pound ground beef patties, as well as 5-pound and 10-pound chubs. Packages are marked with EST. 11077. The chubs, however, may be repackaged or reground at retail, in which case the establishment ID number will be lost.

The USDA recall news release states that the contaminant was detected by company tests and that no illnesses have been reported. That's comforting, as far as it goes.

But I wish USDA – or Palama – would explain why it took more than 2 weeks (April 21 to May 8) for the company test to return a positive result when reliable, validated screening tests are available that provide a preliminary result in 24 hours. Furthermore, even when a preliminary result is positive, that result can be confirmed within a couple of days by a competent independent testing lab.

I also wonder at the range of processing dates – April 9 through April 21 – included in the recall. What is the rationale for these dates? Was April 9th the only batch that tested positive? Or was "regrind" carried forward from April 9th all the way to April 21st?

I'll be watching for the next installment. Meanwhile, please check the USDA news release for details on the ground beef products included in this recall. And, now that the summer outdoor cooking season is almost upon us, please review the USDA's recommendations for safe outdoor cooking.

Salmonella in the Southwest: Another Ground Beef Recall

I warned on December 13th that another food recall was brewing. At that time, there were a few news items reporting about Salmonella illnesses in Arizona, California, Idaho and Nevada. But the epidemiologists at CDC and the state health agencies hadn't been able to put their collective fingers on the source of the outbreak. Now the news is out.

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service has just issued a public health alert. The outbreak of illnesses caused by a multi-drug resistant Salmonella Newport has been linked to ground beef products that were ground and sold in Safeway supermarkets between September 19th and November 5th. Anyone who purchased fresh ground beef from Safeway stores in California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii and New Mexico between these dates should discard or destroy it.

To date, 38 cases of salmonellosis have been tied to this meat.

Consumer Confidence Moving From Medium To Rare?

Yesterday, Meatingplace and and its sister magazine Poultry, reported that consumer confidence in meat safety has dropped dramatically over the last five years. One third of consumers included in a survey conducted by these magazines said that they had less confidence in the safety of the U.S. meat supply today than five years ago. Only 35% of those asked were satisfied that the U.S. government is doing all it can to ensure meat safety.

This morning, USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced yet another recall of raw ground beef due to contamination with E. coli O157:H7. The recall was a small one – only 102 pounds – but it illustrates clearly one of the problems with processors' attitudes. The contamination was not discovered by the Tennessee firm that processed the ground beef. It was detected by USDA after the meat had already been sold to consumers.

The U.S. consumer would have much more confidence in the safety of the country's meat supply if she could be sure that she and her family wasn't being used as the "canary in the cage" for the meat industry.

Would You Like Hormones With Your Hamburger?

Recently, I was reading a couple of research reports on a new E. coli O157:H7 cattle vaccine. The vaccine, which is meant to reduce the incidence of the microbe in feedlot cattle, has not yet been approved for use in the United States and has “investigational” status in Canada.

What caught my eye in these reports was the mention of the use of growth implants. These are pellets which are placed under the skin of the ear and slowly release growth hormones into the animal’s bloodstream. The hormones help the cattle “bulk up” more rapidly - just like athletes on anabolic steroids.

Growth promoting implants have been used by beef producers for more than 30 years. There are hundreds of articles in the scientific and technical literature touting the economic benefits of various growth-promoting hormones. I decided to check whether anyone had thought to investigate whether the use of these hormones might have an impact on the susceptibility of cattle to become colonized with E. coli O157:H7.

As far as I can tell, only one study has addressed this issue. A group of Canadian researchers systematically tested the effects of a growth promoting implant and the use of antibiotic feeding supplements on the presence or absence of E. coli O157 in cattle feces. In this study, some of the cattle (the control group) received neither hormones nor antibiotics; the others received a hormone implant, an antibiotic supplement, or both. At various times during the course of the 165-day experiment, feces from all of the cattle were tested for E. coli O157.

At no time during the entire study was E. coli O157 found in the feces of the “control” group - the cattle that received no hormones and no antibiotics. In contrast, more than half (54%) of the treated animals were positive for E. coli O157 at least once. The authors of the report (published in the Journal of Food Protection in November 2006) concluded that “...the high prevalence of E. coli O157 we observed may have been caused by the administration of growth-promoting agents...”

The authors went on to note that the differences between the treated and untreated cattle were not statistically significant. This was likely due, at least in part, to the small size of their experiment (only 80 animals in total). They went on to suggest that a larger study would allow more conclusive results to emerge. While we’re waiting, anyone for a hamburger?

Another Ground Beef Recall

While you are enjoying that leftover turkey and stuffing, you might want to take note of the latest ground beef recall, announced today by USDA. American Food Groups of Wisconsin has recalled almost 96,000 pounds of ground beef. The meat, which is contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, was distributed in seven states and has been tied to two reported illnesses in Illinois. This is another example of how the industry's "Test and Ship" approach to food safety puts its own interests ahead of consumer safety.

It's About Time!

So far this year, 30 million pounds of ground beef have been recalled in the United States because of contamination with E. coli O157:H7. Most of this meat was recalled only AFTER it had been associated with outbreaks of gastroenteritis and hemolytic uremic syndrome.

"Test and Release" or "Test and Hold"

Until now, USDA has suggested that slaughterhouses and meat processors hold their products in-house until their micro test results are available. This is known as "Test and Hold". But many companies ship their meat before the results are in ("Test and Release"), and have to recall the product if the result shows that their meat contains E. coli O157:H7. Unfortunately, this means that the consumer sometimes becomes the guinea pig. Why not hold product until it has been cleared by the lab? The answer is $$$$$$$$$$. Warehousing a perishable product, even for a couple of days, is expensive.

On November 18th, USA Today reported that USDA is considering REQUIRING companies to move to a Test and Hold program. It's far from a complete answer to the problem of contaminated meat, but it would be a step in the right direction.