Outpost Natural Foods Salmonella Outbreak

Posted in Our Blog,Outbreaks & Recalls,Salmonella on August 30, 2019

4 people have contracted Salmonella in the Outpost Natural Foods Salmonella Outbreak in Milwaukee. A Salmonella lawyer says that Salmonella lawsuits are likely.

Outpost Natural Foods Salmonella Outbreak

After Outpost Natural Foods’ main kitchen tested positive for Salmonella, Wisconsin suspended the company’s meat establishment license and Milwaukee suspended its retail food processing.  Wisconsin public health officials said that the suspensions came after unsanitary conditions were discovered and ready-to-eat products tested positive for Salmonella.

Outpost Natural Foods has recalled these food items prepared at its main kitchen:

• Cookies, desert bars, cakes, cupcakes, pies and tea breads baked at OutPost Natural Foods’ bakery; and
• Pizzas, soups, entrees and side dishes from the hot bar, burritos, pot pies, turnovers, burgers, quiche, dips and spreads, Grab and Go entrees and sides, salads, sandwiches, and wraps.

So far 4 people have been infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella found at Outpost Natural Foods.  Of the three people who were available for interviews, all three ate food from Outpost Natural Food.  According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, “Insanitary conditions were discovered during a routine inspection and ready-to-eat products tested positive for Salmonella.”

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal, “Outpost Natural Foods’ main kitchen in Bay View remains closed as it searches for the source of Salmonella contamination that has sickened multiple people.”

We will continue to provide updates on the Outpost Natural Foods Salmonella outbreak.

Salmonella Symptoms

• Diarrhea (that can be bloody)
• Fever
• Stomach cramps

Some people may also have nausea, vomiting, or a headache. Symptoms usually start within 6 hours–4 days after infection and last 4–7 days.

More Severe Salmonella Symptoms

• Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°F
• Diarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving
• Bloody stools
• Prolonged vomiting that prevents you from keeping liquids down
• Signs of dehydration, such as:
  • Making very little urine
  • Dry mouth and throat
  • Dizziness when standing up

Salmonella infections are diagnosed when a laboratory test detects Salmonella bacteria in a person’s stool (poop).

Most people recover without specific treatment. Antibiotics are typically used only to treat people with severe illness. Patients should drink extra fluids as long as diarrhea lasts. In some cases, diarrhea may be so severe that the person needs to be hospitalized.

In rare cases, the infection may spread from the intestines to the bloodstream, and then to other parts of the body. In these people, Salmonella can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics.

What You Need To Know About Salmonella

CDC estimates Salmonella causes about 1.2 million illnesses, 23,000 hospitalizations, and 450 deaths in the United States every year. Food is the source for about 1 million of these illnesses.

• Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without treatment.
• However, in some persons, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized.

Diagnosing salmonellosis requires testing a clinical specimen (such as stool or blood) from an infected person to distinguish it from other illnesses that can cause diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. Once Salmonella is identified in the specimen, additional testing can be done to further characterize the Salmonella.

Steps in Laboratory Testing and Reporting Salmonella

• Laboratory scientists identify Salmonella infection by culturing a patient’s sample. If Salmonella bacteria grow, then the diagnosis is confirmed, or in laboratory-terms, “culture confirmed.”
• Clinical diagnostic laboratories report the test results to the treating clinician and submit Salmonella isolates to state and territorial public health laboratories for serotyping and DNA fingerprinting.
• The public health laboratories report the results to CDC’s Laboratory-based Enteric Disease Surveillance and to PulseNet
• The public health laboratories forward atypical serotypes to CDC’s National Salmonella Reference Laboratory for more characterization or confirmation.

How to Reduce Your Chances of Getting a Salmonella Infection

Don’t let Salmonella make you or your loved ones sick. Take a look at these five facts and CDC’s tips for lowering your chance of getting a Salmonella infection.

1. You can get Salmonella infection from a variety of foods. Salmonella can be found in many foods, including sprouts and other vegetables, eggs, chicken, pork, fruits, and even processed foods, such as nut butters, frozen pot pies, chicken nuggets, and stuffed chicken entrees. Contaminated foods usually look and smell normal, which is why it is important to know how to prevent infection.
2. Salmonella also can spread from animals to people and from people to people. Always wash your hands after contact with animals. Also wash your hands after using the toilet, changing diapers, or helping someone with diarrhea clean up after using the toilet. If you have a Salmonella infection, you should not prepare food or drinks for others until you no longer have diarrhea.
3. Salmonella illness is more common in the summer. Warmer weather and unrefrigerated foods create ideal conditions for Salmonella to grow. Be sure to refrigerate or freeze perishables (foods likely to spoil or go bad quickly), prepared foods, and leftovers within 2 hours (or 1 hour if the temperature outside is 90°F or hotter).
4. Salmonella illness can be serious and is more dangerous for certain people. Anyone can get a Salmonella infection, but some people are more likely to develop a serious illness, including children younger than 5, older adults, and people with immune systems weakened from a medical condition, such as diabetes, liver or kidney disease, and cancer or its treatment.
5. Salmonella causes far more illnesses than you might suspect. For every person with a Salmonella illness confirmed by a laboratory test, there are about 30 more people with Salmonella illnesses that are not reported. Most people who get food poisoning do not go to a doctor or submit a sample to a laboratory, so we never learn what germ made them sick.

How The Lange Law Firm Can Help

Our mission is to help families who have been harmed by contaminated food or water.  When corporations cause Salmonella food poisoning outbreaks, we use the law to hold them accountable.  The Lange Law Firm is one of the only law firms in the nation focused on representing families in food poisoning lawsuits.

If you got sick in the Outpost Natural Foods Salmonella outbreak and are interested in making a legal claim for compensation, we can help.  Our Salmonella lawyer can help you pursue compensation for your Salmonella food poisoning.  Call us for a free no obligation legal consultation at (833) 330-3663 or send us an e-mail here.