E. coli Cases Linked to
Nebraska Beef in cases now linked to Georgia, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, New
York, Utah, Indiana, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois,
Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Canada
Lawsuits Build Against Nebraska Beef as New Recall
is Announced
A second Georgia lawsuit arising from E. coli tainted meat sourced from Nebraska
Beef Ltd. was filed Friday, just as the beef processing company recalled
another 1.2 million pounds of contaminated meat, bringing the total recalled in
the last thirty days to over 6 million pounds. The complaint was filed against
Nebraska Beef Ltd. in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of
Georgia, Valdosta Division on behalf of Lillie Ruth and Theron
Richter of Colquitt County,
Georgia.
A cluster of E. coli illnesses appeared in ColquittCounty in late June, and was traced to
the Barbeque Pit in Moultrie,
Georgia. The
restaurant closed voluntarily on July 3, and recently re-opened after almost a
month of decontamination. As many as twelve customers of the Barbeque Pit
developed E. coli, and four of the victims have developed Hemolytic Uremic
Syndrome, or HUS. Mrs. Richter ate at the Barbeque Pit in Moultrie, GA
twice in late June, and by July 1, required hospitalization. She tested
positive for E. coli O157:H7 and remained in the hospital for a week.
“The first priority is to help these families with their medical bills, lost
employment, and long-term care,” said William Marler,
the Richter’s attorney. “However Nebraska
Beef and other meat processors need to realize that the customers they poison
will not sit by and wait for the next recall. It is clear that the beef
industry has dropped the reins on its food safety
protocols—lately there has been a new E. coli outbreak every week somewhere in
the US,
and that means more families grappling with these life-threatening and
life-altering illnesses. It has to stop.”
The Georgia cases have
been genetically matched to a multi-state outbreak, which includes Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, New York, Utah, and Indiana.
The illnesses have been traced to E. coli tainted meat from Nebraska Beef Ltd.
of Omaha, NE,
which was a supplier to the Barbeque Pit in Moultrie. At least 50 have fallen ill in the
seven confirmed states. The new recall is responsible for up to 30 additional
sicknesses in California, Colorado,
Connecticut, Idaho,
Illinois, Massachusetts,
New Jersey, New Mexico,
Pennsylvania, Virginia,
and Canada.
Recalls have also been announced by Whole Foods, Fred Meyer, City Market and
King Soopers.
