As you may recall, I blogged about Glass Onion Catering based out of Richmond, California who reported that 181,620 pounds of their product had been tainted by E. Coli. The affected foods were a series of ready-to-eat salads and lettuce wrap supplies that included fully-cooked, grilled chicken and ham. The specific strain of E. Coli is called O157:H7, and the USDA has concluded that 26 people, across three states have fallen ill from this particular strain. The salad products were sold at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and Walgreens across eight states, including Texas. The FDA and CDC are working together to find the specific ingredient to blame, but nothing has been found yet. As many react and treat the illness, another concern has emerged.
The Food and Drug Administration has warned that some drugs could make the symptoms of the illness worse. Symptoms can develop anywhere between 1 to 10 days after exposure to the tainted food. The affected are urged to stay hydrated, and avoid any over-the-counter or anti-diarrheal medicine until your doctor has proven that you do not have E. Coli. Also, antibiotics shouldn’t be used to treat E. Coli, as it has no effect but could raise your likelihood of getting Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome or HUS. HUS can occur in children under the age of ten who have just recently gotten over E. Coli. It occurs when red blood cells are damaged, leading to a form of anemia.
Be sure to wash everything you eat thoroughly, especially leafy greens! If you or a loved one has fallen ill due to a recalled food, please contact the professionals at W.T. Johnson for legal help!
