Recent Events in the News

Greens Lately Plagued With Salmonella and Listeria

Posted on Jan 23, 2012

The Green Valley Food Corp earlier this month expanded its alfalfa sprout recall after finding listeria contamination in some of its product.

The company's "Let's Grow Healthy Together!" brand was pulled from shelves to the tune of 6,723 cases late in December after tests showed salmonella in some packages. Early in January, 30,000 more cases were pulled thanks to new findings of listeria. The "Broccosprouts" label was also included in the latter recall. All of the cases were distributed in Texas. The FDA and Green Valley recommend that customers throw their own packages away immediately. No cases of poisoning have thus far been reported due to the sprouts.

In related news, Safeway recalled six lots of O Organic Celery Seed thanks to tests that revealed salmonella back in December. Additionally, in October, Giant Eagle's Farmer's Market had recalled its shredded iceberg lettuce for fear of listeria. No reported cases of poisoning connected with these products have been revealed.

The salmonella bacteria attacks the gastrointestinal tract and produces the symptoms of diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps but disappears after a few days in healthy adults. However, those with compromised immune systems, including young children and the elderly, are at increased risk of hospitalization, dehydration or death.

Listeriosis causes gastrointestinal problems and flu-like symptoms in most people, as well as muscle aches, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, and severe headaches. Pregnant women are at a risk of miscarriage or stillbirth, and the elderly or those with weakened immune systems may suffer more debilitating effects, including fatal meningitis or encephalitis -- both infections of the brain or spinal cord.

MORE INFO:

If you would like more information about how medical malpractice and accident cases work in the state of New York, I encourage you to explore my educational website. If you have legal questions, I urge you to pick up the phone and call me at 516-487-8207 or by e-mail at lawmed10@yahoo.com to answer your questions. That's what I do every day. I welcome your call.

Gerry practices law exclusively in the State of New York. Within New York he practices primarily in the following counties: New York, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island, Nassau and Suffolk. Technically, Brooklyn is known as "Kings County," and Manhattan and New York City are known as "New York County." Staten Island is known as "Richmond County." These counties make up the New York metropolitan area.