Protecting families from contaminated food and water
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Protecting families from contaminated food and water
Posted in Campylobacter,Campylobacter Attorney,Campylobacter Lawsuit,Campylobacter Lawyer,Our Blog,Outbreaks & Recalls on January 15, 2024
Sometimes you leave date night with an unexpected souvenir. For some diners, it was a digestive bacterial infection.
Earlier this month, the Utah Shellfish Authority notified the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of two cases of Campylobacter jejuni infections that were connected to the consumption of oysters from British Columbia, Canada. An alert was issued, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) was notified. The CFIA has launched their own investigation.
Two cases have been linked to this outbreak. One in Utah and one in Wisconsin. The FDA is coordinating with CFIA as well as state authorities to determine if any additional distribution occurred and link any other potential cases of Campylobacter infections.
The alert was aimed at both restaurants, food retailers, and consumers in the states of Utah and Wisconsin. These products may have been distributed to other states as well, though that information is not available at this time.
Advisory/Recall Details:
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In many cases, you cannot rely on your senses alone to distinguish between Campylobacter jejuni-contaminated and non-contaminated oysters. They often look, smell, and even taste normal. However, oysters contaminated with Campylobacter jejuni can make you very sick if eaten raw. It can even be life-threatening for those with a compromised immune system.
The most common symptoms of Campylobacter infection include diarrhea (often bloody), fever, and stomach cramps. Some people may also experience nausea and vomiting along with their diarrhea.
Symptoms usually begin around 2 to 5 days after consuming a contaminated food and persist for about a week.
In most cases, normally healthy individuals can recover on their own without medical intervention. As a result, Campylobacter illness often goes undiagnosed. This can delay a prompt for investigation and creates a hurdle in traceback investigation activities.
For some, recover does not happen as easily. Additional complications such as irritable bowel syndrome, temporary paralysis, and arthritis may occur and persist for an extended period.
A particularly dangerous complication may occur in those with a weakened immune system. This includes those with a blood disorder, AIDS, receiving chemotherapy, existing illness, or taking other medications that might otherwise compromise the immune system. In these cases, the Campylobacter bacteria may leave the digestive system and spread to the bloodstream, causing a life-threatening infection.
The FDA issued the alert to advise restaurants and food retailers to not serve or sell and consumers to not eat oysters from Pacific Oyster Fanny Bay harvested on 11/08/23 from harvest area BC 14-8 with Landfile # 1402294 and Oyster Malaspina Live harvested on 11/09/2023 from harvest area BC 14-8 with Landfile # 278761 due to potential contamination with the health risk, Campylobacter jejuni.
Restaurants and retailers should not serve or sell the potentially contaminated oysters. They are advised to dispose of any recalled product by throwing them in the garbage or returning them to their distributor for destruction.
The FDA is awaiting additional information from the CFIA about any additional distribution information of the oysters and continues to monitor the investigation. The alert also indicated that they will help state health authorities as needed and will update the safety alert as new information becomes available.
This potentially contaminated shellfish, as well as shellfish in general may pose a pathogen risk. Contamination control should be exercised to help prevent the potential for cross-contamination of food processing equipment as well as the food processing environment.
Food workers should wash their hands with warm water and soap following cleaning and sanitation procedures. Cutting surfaces and utensils may contribute to cross-contamination and should be properly cleaned and sanitized to avoid contaminating other food product.
Containers used to store the shellfish should be properly cleaned and sanitized.
Additionally, regular and frequent cleaning and sanitizing activities of food contact surfaces and utensils used in food preparation may help to reduce instances of cross-contamination.
Consumers are advised to not eat potentially contaminated oysters. Anyone with a compromised immune system should not consume raw oysters under any circumstances. If you have consumed the potentially contaminated product, you should monitor your symptoms.
If you become sick, reach out to your health care provider to receive care. Be sure to indicate the potential infection so that the appropriate testing may be performed.
Have you fallen sick with symptoms consistent with Campylobacter jejuni infection? If you have, and have not sought medical care, your interview data could still help investigators better understand the source of the contamination.
There are a few things you can do to help yourself and the traceback investigation.
First, make a list of all the foods you have eaten and where you have had them. Do this as early as possible while the details are fresh in your mind. The more detailed information you can provide, the better chance investigators have at narrowing down specific sources and individual lot numbers of potential foods that might be making people sick.
Report your illness to your healthcare provider or local health department. While you may be able to recover more easily, others with other health situations may not be so lucky. Reporting your illness helps your community.
Retain food packaging, if possible, for recalled product or other foods you have consumed. Lot information and where you obtained it may help traceback activities.
Finally, reach out to a food poisoning lawyer. The Campylobacter Lawyers at The Lange Law Firm, PLLC are experienced with cases just like this. Helping hold those responsible for preventable foodborne illness and recovering medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other expenses brought on my illness, injury, or death is what we do.
Contact The Lange Law Firm, PLLC by phone at (833) 330-3663 or click here to email for a free consultation. Our compassionate team can help answer your questions and determine if you have a case.
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)