The adulterated food product in this case referred to four shipments of cheese, imported from Nicaragua between December 2009 and March 2010.   Testing performed by FDA laboratories revealed that three of the four shipments were contaminated with the foodborne pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, and that the fourth shipment had not been pasteurized.

The complaint alleges that all four chesse shipments, totaling more than 170,000 pounds with a declared value of more than $322,000, were refused entry into commerce and ordered destroyed or re-exported.  However, an investigation prior to the arrests revealed that three of the shipments of cheese had been sold to over thirty customers.

The United States Attorney’s Office press release can be read by clicking on Contaminated Cheese Arrests.

Individuals suffering from Staphylococcus or Staph food poisoning may experience nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, headache, fever, chills, weakness, and dizziness within 1 to 6 hours after eating contaminated food. To learn more, please see About Staph and Staph Food Poisoning.

If you have been diagnosed with S. aureus, are awaiting medical confirmation of infection, or have a question regarding your legal rights, please submit a free case evaluation form by selecting Food Poisoning Attorney, or call us toll free at 1-877-934-6274.

To learn more about our efforts on behalf of personal injury victims, please see Mesothelioma Attorney, Accutane Lawyer, and Yasmin Attorney.

Members of the St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church in Greenwood, MS had a lawsuit filed on their behalf by attorney Carlos Moore of The Moore Law Office PLLC in Grenada, MS after claiming that they became ill shortly after eating chicken at a Pizza Hut in Greenwood, MS on January 18, 2009.

Carlos Moore is seeking $75,000 for each of the 15 people named in the updated lawsuit filed in the Leflore County Circuit Court on July 16, 2009.  NPC International Inc., Pizza Hut’s national corporate operation and the world’s largest Pizza Hut franchisee, has been named as the only defendant in the case.

A total of 19 people were taken to the Greenwood Leflore Hospital within approximately one hour of eating the chicken.  The church members all complained of nausea, vomiting, cramps and diarrhea after eating chicken at the restaurant.

Although the Mississippi Department of Health did find raw chicken stored at inappropriate temperatures in the restaurant, they have stated that both they and the FDA found there was nothing wrong with the food that was consumed.

While no cause has been identified in this situation, the foodborne bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, a common cause of food poisoning, might be considered.  The toxins produced by S. aureus bacteria are heat resistant.  Could it be that S. aureus was in the raw chicken, survived the frying process and subsequently caused the illnesses?  It will be interesting to see what the final outcome of the yet to be determined origin turns out to be.

To learn more, please see Staphylococcal Food Poisoning and Staph Symptoms.  This information is posted as a courtesy of the Law Firm of Eric H. Weinberg. If you have been diagnosed with S. aureus, are awaiting medical confirmation of infection, or have a question regarding your legal rights, please submit a Free Legal Case Evaluation, or call us toll free at 1-877-934-6274.

Our law firm is dedicated to representing those injured by defective food and drug products.  We believe that the best was for consumers to stay safe, is to stay informed.  For recent food recall and drug safety information, please see Levaquine Tendon Rupture and Listeria Sprout Recall, or visit FDA/USDA Recalls.

Staphylococcus aureus is often referred to as Staph, Staph a, or S. aureus for short.  The foodborne illness that the bacterium causes is often referred to as Staphylococcal food poisoning or Staph food poisoning. 

To learn more, please see About Staph and Staph Food Poisoning Symptoms, or visit out additional website, www.foodpoisoning.com.

The Courier-Journal also reported:

Preliminary results from the Kentucky State Lab suggested that staphylococcus aureus might be the culprit of the food poisoning, although it’s not definitive since it was found in some stool samples and not others.

“We anticipate more confirmed results next week,” said Tony Millet, a health department spokesman for the state’s North Central District Health Department.

Earlier reports linked the illnesses to ham served at the buffet.  Ham is a common vehicle for Staphylococcal food poisoning due to the amount of hand preparation involved (Staph is commonly found on the skin and in nasal passages of humans); and because of Staph’s ability to survive in salty foods. 

These facts underscore the importance of proper hygiene during food preparation, e.g., hand washing and gloves; and the importance of maintaining the appropriate  food temperature while serving ham during a buffet event.

The Law Firm of Eric H. Weinberg has been contacted by individuals who were sickened in this latest food poisoning outbreak.  Please submit a free legal case evaluation, or call us toll free at 1-877-934-6274, if you have a question regarding your legal rights.

• Jere Downs of the Courier-Journal.com, writes that a total of 115 people have reported becoming ill after attending the Easter buffet at Claudia Sanders Dinner House.
• Kentucky.com reports: “Department spokesman Tony Millet said Thursday that health officials are also investigating the death of a man who dined at the restaurant for any link to the buffet.”
• WHAS11.com reports that the possibility of an airborne virus has also not been ruled out, and that food samples are being sent to Frankfurt for further testing.  
• WAVE3 reports that Health officials are asking that any patron who ate at the restaurant on Easter Sunday only, to contact the North Central Health Department at 502-633-1243. 
• The health department is still awaiting the results of stool cultures, which can help indentify any foodborne pathogen that may have caused the outbreak.  
• Earlier reports stated that the buffet ham may have been the contaminated food item.  
• Victims are reporting symptoms including diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps; and some victims have required medical attention. 

We will post any additional news later today, but meanwhile, we hope you find the information posted on our additional website, www.foodpoisoning.com, helpful. 

Please submit a  free case evaluation form, or contact us at our toll free number, 1-877-934-6274, if you have questions concerning your legal rights.

To learn about recent food poisoning outbreaks, please see Cantaloupe Food Poisoning Outbreak, Santa Fe Food Poisoning Outbreak, and Yuma Food Poisoning Outbreak.

Health officials have temporarily closed the well known restaurant; and the Kentucky State Epidemiology Lab will release a preliminary report later today. At this point, health officials suspect that ham, served at the Easter buffet, may be the source of the outbreak. To report a suspected illness, please call the health department at (502) 633-1243.

To learn more, please see Staphylococcal Food Poisoning and Staph Symptoms, or visit our additional website www.foodpoisoning.com. The Law Firm of Eric H. Weinberg has been contacted by individuals who were sickened in this latest outbreak.  Please submit a free legal case evaluation, or call us toll free at 1-877-934-6274, if you have a question regarding your legal rights. To learn about recent food poisoning outbreaks, please see Cantaloupe Food Poisoning Outbreak, Santa Fe Food Poisoning Outbreak, and Yuma Food Poisoning Outbreak.