[PHNUTR-L] Breaking Health: E. coli warning Prompts Massive Frozen Pizza Recall--Totino, Jeno pepperoni

[Kathrynne Holden]

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NewsEmergency.com

Breaking Health: E. coli warning Prompts Massive Frozen Pizza Recall

414,000 Cases Affected
Health Risk: High

Public health officials are urging consumers to throw away any Totino's 
or Jeno's brand frozen pizzas that contain pepperoni in the wake of a 
multi-state outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections.

"We took action on that basis as a precaution, because of the 
possibility that a link might exist," said General Mills spokesman Tom 
Forsythe.

The company is asking people to throw away any pizza that they may have 
purchased that is being recalled.

The manufacturer, General Mills, has recalled all frozen pepperoni 
pizzas produced at their Wellston, Ohio, plant. More than 120 million of 
these pizzas have been distributed since the beginning of July.

Public health investigators in Tennessee and elsewhere have linked a 
growing number of people infected with E. coli O157:H7 to pizzas 
produced at the Ohio plant. The investigation is ongoing, and the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture and other agencies are working with General 
Mills to identify the source of the problem.

To date, at least 21 lab-confirmed cases have been identified in 10 
states -- Tennessee, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, 
Kentucky, Illinois, Wisconsin and South Dakota. At least 10 people have 
been hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported.

"If you have any of these pizzas in your freezer, we recommend you throw 
them out," said William E. Keene, Ph.D., M.P.H., senior communicable 
disease epidemiologist at the Oregon Department of Human Services Public 
Health Division. "No cases have been reported in Oregon or other Western 
states, but this is a national recall. We don't want anyone to risk 
serious illness."

The specific products covered by the recall are as follows:

*Totino's Original Crisp Crust Party Pizza, Pepperoni, 10.2 oz.
*Totino's Original Crisp Crust Party Pizza, Classic Pepperoni, 10.2 oz.
*Totino's Original Crisp Crust Party Pizza, Pepperoni Trio, 10.2 oz.
*Totino's Original Crisp Crust Party Pizza, Three Meat Sausage, Canadian 
Style Bacon & Pepperoni, 10.5 oz.
*Totino's Original Crisp Crust Party Pizza, Combination Sausage & 
Pepperoni, 10.7 oz.
*Totino's Original Crisp Crust Party Pizza, Supreme Sausage & Pepperoni 
with Green Peppers & Onions, 10.9 oz.
*Jeno's Crisp 'n Tasty Pizza, Pepperoni, 6.8 oz.
*Jeno's Crisp 'n Tasty Pizza, Combination Sausage and Pepperoni, 7.0 oz.
*Jeno's Crisp 'n Tasty Pizza, Supreme Sausage and Pepperoni With Green 
Peppers and Onion, 7.2 oz.

Any consumers concerned about an illness should contact a physician. 
Anyone diagnosed by a physician as having an illness related to E. coli 
O157:H7 is also urged to contact state and local public health authorities.

Consumers can contact Totino's / Jeno's for product replacement by 
clipping the UPC (bar code) symbol from each pizza box and sending their 
UPC's, along with their name and address to:

Totino's / Jeno's
P.O. Box 200 - Pizza
Minneapolis, MN  55440-0200

The product itself should be thrown away.  Consumers with additional 
questions about the relall should contact the company at (800) 949-9055

About E. Coli

E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody 
diarrhea and dehydration. The very young, seniors and persons with 
compromised immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness.

http://www.emergencyemail.org/
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Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD < fivestar at nutritionucanlivewith.com >
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