FDA CONFIRMS E. COLI O157:H7 IN PREPACKAGED NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE REFRIGERATED COOKIE DOUGH

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it has found E. coli O157:H7 (a bacterium that can cause serious food borne illness) in a sample of prepackaged Nestlé Toll House refrigerated cookie dough currently under recall by the manufacturer and marketer, Nestlé USA.  The contaminated sample was collected at Nestlé’s facility in Danville, Va. on June 25, 2009. 

On June 19, the FDA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned consumers not to eat any varieties of prepackaged Nestlé Toll House refrigerated cookie dough due to the risk of contamination with E. coli O157:H7.  The warning was based on an epidemiological study conducted by the CDC and several state and local health departments. As of Thursday, June 25, the CDC reports that 69 persons from 29 states have been infected with the outbreak strain. Thirty-four persons have been hospitalized, nine with a severe complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome. No one has died.

Further laboratory testing is needed to conclusively link the E. coli strain found in the product to the same strain that is causing the outbreak.

These dads and moms were shocked that something as wholesome as cookies that they baked and ate with their kids could contain animal feces and may have caused their kids’ sicknesses, including bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping, fever and other serious symptoms. Most people recover from E. Coli O157:H7 poisoning within a week, but some, particularly the very young and very old, can develop a life-threatening type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). We represent victims of HUS and its impact can be deadly.

Lots of these parents were just looking for answers to questions raised by the FDA’s announcement that as of Thursday, June 18, 2009, 65 persons infected with a strain of E. coli O157:H7 with a particular DNA fingerprint have been reported from 29 states and that those infections had been epidemiologically linked to eating Nestlé’s raw cookie dough. I gave many of them the same advice that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) provided the same day as the FDA announcement. I wanted to pass this advice along:

1. Do not to eat any varieties of prepackaged Nestle Toll House refrigerated cookie dough due to the risk of contamination with E. coli O157:H7.
2. If you have any prepackaged, refrigerated Nestle Toll House cookie dough products in your home, do not use it. Return it to the grocery store for a full refund.
3. Do not cook the dough because you might get the bacteria on your hands and on other cooking surfaces.
4. If you recently ate prepackaged, refrigerated Toll House cookie dough and have experienced any of symptoms consistent with E. Coli poisoning, you should contact your doctor or health care provider immediately. Any such illnesses should be reported to state or local health authorities.
5. In general, do not eat raw food products that are intended for cooking or baking before consumption.
6. Use safe food-handling practices when preparing such products, including following package directions for cooking at proper temperatures; washing hands, surfaces, and utensils after contact with these types of products; avoiding cross contamination; and refrigerating products properly.

Unfortunately, we cannot be too careful about the foods we let our kids eat. Please follow the advice of the CDC and start, if you have not done so already, to advocate for serious reform of our food industry. No one should be worried that enjoying cookies with their kids could turn deadly.

Beef Recalled for E Coli O157:H7

On May 21, 2009 the USDA’s Food Safety & Inspection Services (FSIS) issued a Class I recall, the most serious type of recall, on nearly 100,000 lbs of ground beef products produced by Valley Meats of Coal Valley, Illinois.  The meat is believed to be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. This type of E. Coli infection can lead to the dangerous and sometimes fatal disease hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is associated with high blood pressure, swelling of the extremities or the entire body, and possibly eventual kidney failure and death.

The recall was prompted by the discovery through epidemiological investigation of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses in groups of people in three states. In other words, people have already been sickened by products related to this recall.  Additional reports of illness are expected.

The meat was produced in March and distributed in 10-pound to 40-pound packages.  The tainted beef was sold under brand names such as 3S, Grillmaster, J&B, Klub, Thick ‘N Savory and Ultimate.  A list of all recalled items can be food on this E. Coli recall update.

The Cleveland Department of Health announced that a young girl died over the weekend due to what is believed to be an infection with e. Coli 0157:H7.  It is believed that the girl consumed tainted meat produced by Valley Meats and likely suffered from hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which may have caused her death.  Three others have reported infections including a 3-year-old girl, a 24-year-old man and a 71-year-old man.  These three have recovered or are currently recovering from their injuries.  Additional infections are likely to be reported.

Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) and E. coli

So, what is HUS and what causes it? The disease that has driven this young boy’s kidneys to fail, hemolytic uremic syndrome, most commonly occurs in young children, although the elderly and immunocompromised are also particularly susceptible. HUS is almost always the result of an infection with E. coli bacteria, typically a potentially deadly strain known as E. coli O157:H7. E. coli is a bacterium that is naturally found in the intestines of animals. The E. coli present in an animal’s digestive system and feces can contaminate food in several ways, including:

◦ During the slaughtering process – thus contaminating flesh products. In some cuts of meat, E. coli is limited to the surface; in ground beef, one of the most common sources of E. coli poisoning, the grinding process spreads the E. coli throughout the meat.

◦ Through feces-contaminated water – thus contaminating whatever comes into contact with the water. Vegetable and fruit E. coli contamination often occurs when feces-contaminated water from an animal farm runs into a nearby produce field.

A child may ingest E. coli from contaminated food products, usually undercooked ground beef, raw unpasteurized milk, or contaminated raw produce (unpasteurized apple juice, unwashed vegetables, etc.). Drinking contaminated water or swimming in an infested lake or pond can also cause an E. coli infection.

Symptoms of an E. coli Infection

Most E. coli infections present symptoms after approximately 2 to 5 days. Typical symptoms include:

◦ Nausea

◦ Abdominal cramps

◦ Watery or bloody diarrhea

◦ Fever

◦ Fatigue

From E. coli to Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome

Once ingested, some strains of E. coli will produce a toxic substance known as Shiga toxin inside the digestive system of the human body. Shiga toxin producing E. coli binds to the cells lining the large intestine, and these poisonous substances thus gain access to circulating blood. The toxins spread to various organs where they can inflict much damage. They deform and destroy red blood cells, which then clog the tiny blood vessels of the kidneys, hindering the normal filtering function of the kidneys and possibly eventually leading to renal failure. These misshapen red blood cells – and anemia, or lack of healthy red blood cells – can harm the heart, brain, liver, and other organs as well. Thrombocytes, the blood’s clotting cells, are also destroyed, which can lead to bruises and uninhibited bleeding.

Symptoms of HUS usually occur 5 to 10 days after the start of diarrhea, and include:

◦ Paleness, fatigue, and irritability

◦ Small, unexplained bruises or bleeding from the nose or mouth

◦ Swelling of the face, hands, feet, or entire body

◦ High blood pressure

◦ Decreased urine output or bloody urine

Treatment of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome

Treatment of HUS aims to ease the immediate symptoms and prevent further problems by seeking to maintain an appropriate salt/water balance in the body. Over time, a patient with HUS may need red blood cell and thrombocyte (platelet) infusions, dialysis, and even – as in the case of young Coleman Stauffer – a kidney transplant.

Prevention of E. coli Infection and Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome

Coleman is fortunate to have a mother whose love – and matching donor organ – may very well save his life. While most children who develop hemolytic uremic syndrome survive the experience, they suffer tremendously from its symptoms and often develop life-long health problems.

Prevention of most cases of HUS is possible through the reduction of the spread of E. coli bacteria. Hand washing, clean and safe preparation of food, and cooking foods – especially ground beef – to a high enough temperature (160F for ground beef) are all ways to prevent the ingestion of dangerous E. coli. Ideally, though, our food supply would be free of E. coli contamination before it ever gets into our kitchens or our plates. Improving our food safety system with high industry standards, attentive regulation, and effective legislation can help protect our children from the misery of hemolytic uremic syndrome.