A bulletin for the Australian Food Industry December 1996
Contents: Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli outbreak in Japan | Cross-contamination and EHEC | Repercussions from food poisoning incidents | Statistical methods and food safety | National food hygiene standard | Botulism linked to cheese
Repercussions from food poisoning incidents
As noted above EHEC was first recognised as a foodborne illness in the early 1980's. Until the 1996 incidents in Japan, the most widely reported case involved hamburgers served by the Jack-in-the-Box chain in the United States in January 1993. This case left three chidren dead and many seriously ill with haemolytic uraemic syndrome.
In September of this year a Washington court approved a US$4.38 million settlement between Foodmaker Inc. and a six year old boy infected by E. coli O157 during the 1993 outbreak. This was the largest individual settlement in a class action filed against the company in 1993. This brings total settlements in the class action to approximately US$14 million while the company has also settled more than 90 separate cases outside the class action.
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