A subsidiary of Tyson Foods has recalled nearly 172 tons of deli meat sold at Wal-Mart stores because of food poisoning concerns. According to a news report, the meat may have been tainted by deadly listeria bacteria. The tainted deli meat went into numerous sandwiches sold in Wal-Mart, many of which have already been consumed, officials say. This massive food recall comes in the wake of another huge recall involving half a billion eggs for salmonella contamination. So far, no illnesses have been reported in connection with the contaminated deli meat.

Symptoms of Listeriosis

Listeriosis is potentially lethal. The most common symptoms of Listeriosis are fever, muscle aches, nausea and diarrhea. Symptoms may begin a few days after you have eaten the contaminated food. But it may take as a long as two months before signs and symptoms begin. If the infection spreads to the nervous system, you may experience symptoms such as headache, stiffness, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions. Listeria infection can have devastating consequences for pregnant women. The baby may die unexpectedly before birth or experience a life-threatening infection within the first few days of birth.

Food Poisoning Statistics

Food-borne illnesses have considerably increased over the last five years. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, each year, 5,000 people die after consuming tainted foods and beverages. It is even more disturbing to note that the number of safety inspections has fallen sharply in recent years. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration inspects fewer than 25 percent of food production facilities each year. It is scary to hear that nearly 75 percent of all food facilities have gone five or more years without an FDA inspection. This number only applies to food producers within the United States. Inspections are even more rare or non-existent when it comes to foreign food producers.

Liability Issues

It is very important that, as consumers, we practice safe eating and food preparation to protect ourselves from these outbreaks. Re-washing your greens, buying organic produce and peeling fruits and vegetables are all simple steps we can take to avoid food poisoning. It is also important that you keep your cooking surfaces and kitchen counters clean to avoid cross contamination.

If you have been sickened as a result of negligence on the part of the food producer, processor, distributor or server, you can seek compensation to cover medical expenses, loss of wages, hospitalization, diagnostic tests, pain and suffering and other damages and losses. An experienced
California personal injury lawyer will be able to advise victims about their legal rights and options. It would also be a good idea to report your illness to your local health care agency.

Have you ever suffered from food poisoning? What are some steps you take to avoid food-borne illnesses?

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