The Bravo Farms Gouda cheese recall was prompted by an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 that has sickened at least 25 people in:

• Arizona (11)
• California (1)
• Colorado (8)
• New Mexico (3)
• Nevada (2)

Consumers who have any of this cheese should not eat it. The cheese should be returned to the place of purchase or dispose of it carefully to prevent people or animals from consuming it.

Pritzker Olsen E. coli lawyers are monitoring this Costco cheese E. coli outbreak. For a free case consultation, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete our free consultation form.

Our firm is one of the few in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation. We currently represent E. coli HUS victims and have years of experience representing victims of food poisoning against large national retailers and food manufacturers.

E. coli Contamination

With all of the regulations and inspections, one would think our food supply would be free from E. coli contamination. That is not true. Outbreaks and recalls happen frequently.

Contamination of cheese can occur at many points along the production line, including:

• through the use of raw milk in the production of cheese
• equipment not being cleaned and sterilized properly
• employees not using proper hygiene

The FDA and CDC have repeatedly warned the public about consuming raw milk and raw milk products.

“Raw milk is milk from cows, sheep, or goats that has not been pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria. This raw, unpasteurized milk can carry dangerous bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria, which are responsible for causing numerous foodborne illnesses.

These harmful bacteria can seriously affect the health of anyone who drinks raw milk, or eats foods made from raw milk. However, the bacteria in raw milk can be especially dangerous to pregnant women, children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems.”

The FDA, CDC and Costco are working together on the investigation and will update the public with more information as soon as it is available. As more information becomes available, the recommendations to consumers may change. The FDA, in conjunction with the state of California, has initiated an investigation at Bravo Farms.

Bravo Farms is located on Highway 99 in Traver, California. Their Dutch-style Gouda is handmade into small wheels and dipped in red wax. According to the Bravo Farms website, they use raw milk in the production of their cheeses.

PritzkerOlsen, P. A. has a national E. coli litigation practice. Our lawyers have been interviewed by The Associated Press, CNN, CBS, FOX, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Lawyers USA and others. Fred Pritzker is listed in the current edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Call 1-888-377-8900 toll-free or submit our free consultation form for information about a possible E. coli lawsuit.

The products in question were recalled as part of the investigation into an outbreak of  E. coli with cases in Colorado and New York. While the sell-by dates for these products have passed, FSIS  is aware that consumers may also freeze the product before use and there is concern that some product may still be frozen and in consumers’ freezers.

Estimates are imprecise, but microbiologists guess that more than 70,000 Americans fall ill every year from E. coli  bacterial infections, the largest source of which is contaminated ground beef. Of those infected, more than 5 percent develop life-threatening HUS E. coli, or hemolytic uremic syndrome, the leading cause of kidney failure in children and the leading cause of E. coli deaths. 

Here is a list of the recalled buffalo:

One pound packages:

• Great Range Brand Ground Bison label with the UPC# 016447 10090 6, with “sell or freeze by” dates of June 21, 22, and 24.
•  Natures Rancher Ground Buffalo label with the UPC # 016447 10091 6 with “sell or freeze by” date of June 22.
•  The Buffalo Guys Ground Bison with UPC# 852584 00030 9 and a package date of 0147.

 12oz. packages:

• Great Range Brand Bison Steak Medallion with UPC# 016447 10026 5 and a “sell or freeze by” date of June 23 and 24, 2010.
• Great Range Brand Bison Sirloin Steak with UPC# 016447 10226 9 and a “sell or freeze by” date of June 20, 23 and 24, 2010.

Other products:

Various weight boxes of “BISON B TRIM.” These products bear a production date of May 21, 2010 and a Julian Code of 14110. The boxes also state “KEEP REFRIGERATED.”

A man in Baltimore, Maryland became sick with E. coli O157:H7 after eating Great Range brand bison meat in mid June, say Pritzker Olsen attorneys, who represent the food poisoning victim. Great Range was one brand involved in the recall, which also included Nature’s Rancher and The Buffalo Guys brands.

The 28-year-old man was notified by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene that the strain of E. coli O157:H7 that  sickened him matched the strain that sickened others in Colorado and one in New York.

The food safety lawyers also represent a woman from Lakewood, Colorado, in a lawsuit filed last week against Rocky Mountain Natural Meats. That client was hospitalized for several days after eating bison meat bought at King Soopers grocery.

According to the complaint, the woman purchased the bison product at a King Soopers grocery store in Lakewood, Colorado. Health officials used pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) to confirm that the strain of E. coli that infected the woman was genetically indistinguishable from a strain isolated from other people in Colorado.

According to the complaint, health officials then concluded that the woman was part of an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to Rocky Mountain Natural Meats bison meat that now has six confirmed cases, five in Colorado and one in New York.

“This outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 linked to bison meat is a wake-up call,” said Fred Pritzker, the attorney representing the E. coli victim. “In the past and currently, bison meat has not been subject to the same E. coli O157:H7 testing requirements as ground beef. Many people assume that bison meat is safer than beef, but that reputation needs to be re-examined.”

In response to the outbreak investigation, Rocky Mountain Meats recalled 66,000 pounds of ground buffalo and bison steaks on July 2 that it said may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, a potentially deadly bacterium that is banned in ground beef.  The recalled meat was sold under the following brands: Great Range, Nature’s Rancher, The Buffalo Guys and Rocky Mountain Natural Meats.

“This outbreak and subsequent recall were preventable,” stated Pritzker. “It is in the best interest of consumers and the bison industry to require E. coli testing for bison products.”

The recall is an expansion of an earlier July 2 recall of bison meat potentially contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The meat products are associated with an E. coli outbreak that has sickened five people in Colorado and one person in New York.

The following products are involved in the recall:

• 16-ounce packages of “GREAT RANGE BRAND ALL NATURAL GROUND BISON.” These products have a “sell or freeze by” date of June 21, June 22 or June 24, 2010.
• 16-ounce packages of “NATURE’S RANCHER GROUND BUFFALO.” These products have a “sell or freeze by” date of June 22, 2010.
• 16-ounce packages of “THE BUFFALO GUYS ALL NATURAL GROUND BUFFALO 90% LEAN.” These products have a lot number of 0147.
• 12-ounce packages of “GREAT RANGE BRAND ALL NATURAL BISON STEAK MEDALLIONS.” These products have a “sell or freeze by” date of June 23 and June 24, 2010.
• 12-ounce packages of “GREAT RANGE BRAND ALL NATURAL BISON SIRLOIN STEAKS.” These products have a “sell or freeze by” date of June 20, June 23 and June 24, 2010.
• 15-pound boxes of “ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATURAL MEATS, INC. BISON 10 OZ SIRLOIN STEAK.” These products went to restaurants and bear a Julian Code of 0141.
• Various weight boxes of “BISON B TRIM.” These products bear a production date of May 21, 2010 and a Julian Code of 14110. The boxes also state “KEEP REFRIGERATED.”

The retail distribution list for the potentially contaminated, recalled bison meat has also been updated and now includes:

1. Albertsons
2. Giant Food
3. Hannaford’s
4. King Soopers
5. Kroger’s
6. Market Basket
7. Price Chopper’s
8. Stop & Shop Supermarket
9. Super Valu
10. Whole Foods

The FSIS will update the retail distribution list as information becomes available.

• Hannaford’s
• King Soopers
• Market Basket
• Price Choppers
• Whole Foods

The list is incomplete.  Wegman’s Supermarkets recalled two of the recalled bison products it sold at their stores:

• Great Range Buffalo Sirloin Steaks, 12 oz., UPC 16447-10226 Only product with sell or freeze-by date of June 20, 23, or 24, 2010
• Great Range Ground Bison, 16 oz., UPC 16447 10090  Only product with a sell or freeze-by date of June 21, 22, or 24, 2010

The Rocky Mountain Natural Meat products were recalled because they may be contaminated with E. coli 0157:H7.

The possible contamination was discovered by USDA-FSIS during the course of an on-going investigation into a cluster of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses in Colorado with illness onset dates between June 4, 2010 and June 9, 2010.   FSIS determined that there is an association between the ground bison products and the cluster of illnesses in the state of Colorado and an additional illness in New York.

FSIS became aware of the problem during the course of an on-going investigation into a cluster of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses in Colorado with illness onset dates between June 4, 2010 and June 9, 2010. Working in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the New York Department of Health, 5 case-patients have been identified in Colorado as well as 1 case-patient in New York with an indistinguishable PFGE pattern. FSIS determined that there is an association between the ground bison products and the cluster of illnesses in the state of Colorado. FSIS is continuing to work with the CDC, affected state public health partners, and the company on the investigation. Anyone with signs or symptoms of foodborne illness should contact a health care provider.

The following products are subject to recall:

• 16-ounce packages of “GREAT RANGE BRAND ALL NATURAL GROUND BISON.” These products have a “sell or freeze by” date of June 21, June 22 or June 24, 2010.
• 16-ounce packages of “NATURE’S RANCHER GROUND BUFFALO.” These products have a “sell or freeze by” date of June 22, 2010.
• 16-ounce packages of “THE BUFFALO GUYS ALL NATURAL GROUND BUFFALO 90% LEAN.” These products have a lot number of 0147.
• 12-ounce packages of “GREAT RANGE BRAND ALL NATURAL BISON STEAK MEDALLIONS.” These products have a “sell or freeze by” date of June 23 and June 24, 2010
• 12-ounce packages of “GREAT RANGE BRAND ALL NATURAL BISON SIRLOIN STEAKS.” These products have a “sell or freeze by” date of June 20, June 23 and June 24, 2010
• 15-pound boxes of “ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATURAL MEATS, INC. BISON 10 OZ SIRLOIN STEAK.” These products went to restaurants and bear a Julian Code of 0141.

The products subject to recall bear the establishment number “EST. 20247” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These products were produced between the dates of May 21, 2010 through May 27, 2010, and were distributed to retail establishments nationwide and food service distributors in Utah and Arizona. While the sell-by dates for these products have passed, FSIS and the establishment are aware that consumers may also freeze the product before use and there is concern that some product may still be frozen and in consumers’ freezers.