Frozen pot pie food poisoning reported throughout the country
A nationwide salmonella outbreak which has sickened 139 people in 30 states has been linked to frozen pot pies manufactured by ConAgra Foods, Inc. The large food manufacturer has halted production of frozen turkey and chicken pot pies, as they may be contaminated with salmonella which could cause severe food poisoning. The lawyers at Saiontz, Kirk & Miles, P.A. are reviewing potential lawsuits for individuals who required medical treatment as a result of illness after eating a frozen pot pie.
>>INFORMATION: Salmonella Food Poisoning Lawsuits
Officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are currently investigating the salmonella outbreak and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service warned consumers not to eat the pot pies until they can confirm the exact cause of the food poisoning. Although ConAgra Foods has not yet issued a frozen pot pie recall, they are offering refunds for any packages which contain “P-9″ printed on the side of the package above the “use by” date.
Salmonella food poisoning affects about 40,000 people each year, and is responsible for about 600 deaths annually. Symptoms could surface 24 to 72 hours after eating the contaminated food, and it can cause diarrhea, dehydration, severe stomach ache and vomiting. In most cases, the food poisoning will pass within about a week, but in severe cases it can result in hospitalization or even death.
The frozen pot pies were sold by ConAgra as “Banquet Pot Pies” and under generic store-brand labels. They are not a “ready-to-eat” product and contain cooking instructions designed to eliminate the presence of salmonella and other pathogens which can be found in uncooked foods. Although the investigation into the exact cause of the salmonella outbreak is still pending, the USDA has indicated that they will need to verify proper cooking instructions for the frozen pot pies.
ConAgra Foods owns and operates food production plants in multiple states. All of the frozen pot pies tied to this salmonella outbreak were manufactured at a plant in Marshall, Missouri.
This is not the first major food poisoning outbreak caused by a product manufactured by ConAgra. Earlier this year in February, they were forced to close a production plant in Georgia which manufactured peanut butter responsible for salmonella food poisoning which effected thousands of people across the country. Investigations ultimately linked to the peanut butter salmonella outbreak to a leaky roof and faulty sprinkler system at the ConAgra production plant.
The food poisoning lawyers at Saiontz, Kirk & Miles currently represent individuals who were sickened by the recalled peanut butter, and potential lawsuits are being reviewed as a result of the frozen pot pie salmonella outbreak which began to surface this week. If you, a friend or family member have suffered food poisoning requiring medical treatment after eating a frozen turkey or chicken pot pie, request a free claim evaluation.
