May 23, 2014 — Raw sprouts on sandwiches sold at Jimmy John’s, the Pita Pit, and Daanen’s Deli have been linked to an outbreak of E. coli food poisoning that has sickened 10 people in Washington and Idaho.
According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 90% of people who were interviewed reported eating raw clover sprouts sold by Evergreen Fresh Sprouts, LLC, of Idaho. Seven illnesses occurred in Washington and three in Idaho.
The strain of E. coli has been identified as Shiga-toxin producing E. coli (STEC 0121). It is not the most common strain, but is known to cause a severe gastrointestinal illness characterized by bloody diarrhea, severe abdominal cramps, nausea, and other symptoms lasting an average of 3-4 days.
Health department officials in Washington and Idaho said that half of people who got sick have been hospitalized. Fortunately, no one has died and no one has developed Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening type of hemorrhagic kidney failure that is commonly associated with Shiga-toxin producing E. coli infection.
The Washington State Department of Health warns that raw sprouts have been linked to 30 outbreaks of food poisoning since 1996, most involving Salmonella and E. coli. Seeds and beans need warm, moist conditions to sprout and grow. These conditions also promote bacterial growth. It only takes a few hundred cells to cause E. coli infection, an amount that could fit on the tip of a pin. Thorough cooking can kill the bacteria.
Do I have an E. Coli Food Poisoning Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting food poisoning induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been injured by E. coli in raw sprouts, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Food Poisoning Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
Attention Lawyers: We consider a referral from another law firm to be one of the greatest compliments. If your firm is interested in referring us a case or for us to send you a list of previous award judgments and/or average referral fees, please visit the Lawyer Referral section of our website.
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC has been recognized as one of the nation’s leading plaintiffs' law firms and handles cases in all 50 states. We are very proud of our legal achievements, but equally self-respecting of our firm's reputation for providing personal attention to each and every client we represent.
