Seltzers Lebanon Bologna E. coli Outbreak
Outbreak News
On March 22, 2011 the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced that an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak had been linked to Seltzer’s brand Lebanon bologna products made by the Palmyra Bologna Company, Inc., of Palmyra, PA.
Palmyra Bologna Co. recalled 23,000 pounds of Lebanon bologna products for potential E. coli O157:H7 contamination after FSIS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and state public health agencies identified at least 14 people who had become ill with E. coli infections after eating the bologna products in January and February, 2011. Victims of the outbreak are from Pennsylvania (6 cases), Maryland (3 cases), New Jersey (2 cases), North Carolina (1 case), and Ohio (2 cases).
Lebanon bologna is a fermented, semi-dry sausage. This beef product has an appearance similar to salami. The Lebanon bologna products subject to recall were produced in December 2010 and were distributed to stores in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, and West Virginia.
Contaminated bologna was sold in 6, 12, and 16 ounce packages of “Seltzer’s Beef Lebanon Bologna with lot code 01351 and sell-by dates ranging from April 20, 2011 to April 22, 2011.
As of March 25, 2011 contaminated bologna was known to be sold at Walmart and BJ’s Wholesale Clubs in the following locations:
Walmart: some locations in Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania
BJ’s Wholesale Club (New Jersey): 1910 Deptford Center Road (Deptford NJ), and 152 Route 73 (Voorhees, NJ)
BJ’s Wholesale Club (North Carolina): 2370 Walnut St., Cary, NC
BJ’s Wholesale Club (PA): 1785 Airport Road, South, Allentown, PA