Whether you are a vegetarian, meat lover, prefer healthy dining options or a good ‘ol burger — the food-borne illness salmonella can find it’s way into your stomach.

Ground beef, romaine lettuce, cilantro, Anaheim peppers, granola nut clusters, alfalfa sprouts and a seeming host of products featuring nonfat dry milk, including yogurt, chai tea, shake mixes, frosting packets, drink powders and cocoa, gravy and sauce mixes — all have been recalled in the last two months because of possible salmonella contamination. Often times recalls of food products are broadcasted on the news but many people have no idea what exactly salmonella is and how you can get it.

Our firm’s San Diego personal injury lawyers are no strangers to the effects of salmonella so our job is to educate you about salmonella poisoning and what you can do after you become ill.  When food manufacturers and the persons responsible for checking their safety do not thoroughly make sure that food is of a certain quality, then they should be held accountable for product liability, defective food products, and harmful drugs that are sold to consumers.

The type of salmonella that is a health hazard is usually contracted by touching raw meat, raw eggs, raw shellfish or unpasteurized animal products such as milk and cheese.  Salmonella bacterium can also be acquired by touching living turtles, birds and humans that have the bacteria on their hands.  Salmonella is not a threat until it is ingested, which is one reason why hand washing is important.

Salmonella food poisoning is the result of touching or eating contaminated foods. Its symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and fever.

Salmonella poisoning usually goes away on its own without treatment in 5-7 days.  However, if vomiting and diarrhea are severe and prolonged, a person can become dangerously dehydrated and must seek medical help.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there are 40,000 reported cases of salmonellosis in the U.S. each year.  Salmonellosis kills 400 Americans annually, mostly children, the elderly and people whose immune systems are already compromised by diseases such as HIV/AIDS.

Late last month, the House passed a bill that would overhaul U.S. food safety laws, increasing the Food and Drug Administration’s authority to inspect food manufacturers, requiring it to craft a better way of tracing food-borne illnesses and giving it greater recall powers.

The rise of salmonella as a problem is due, in large part, to the industrialization of agriculture and food processing. One infected cow can transmit salmonella to more animals when it is part of a larger herd.

If you or a loved one have been sickended by contaminated foods, hiring an experienced personal injury lawyer in San Diego will help you in your time of pain and suffering, as well as finding a way to help you pay your medical bills.

Call us now at 1-858-551-2090 or click here for a free consultation with an experienced San Diego personal injury lawyer to find out how we may help you.  We look forward to providing good advice to help you make smart decisions about your case in either English or Spanish.  No fee if no recovery.