Banquet Pot Pies tainted with Salmonella have hit store shelves and consumers freezers. On October 9, 2007, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) warned consumers to avoid eating turkey and chicken varieties of Banquet pot pies as well as store brand pot pies manufactured by ConAgra Foods. The Salmonella tainted pot pies are the not-ready-to-eat variety that come frozen and need to be cooked. According to the USDA health alert, both generic and Banquet Pot Pies manufactured by ConAgra had been linked to 139 cases of Salmonella poisoning in 30 states. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said that it had been tracking dozens of incidents of Salmonella poisoning around the country since October 3, 2007. It had been determined that one commonality among many of the cases had been the consumption of Banquet and store brand pot pies sold by ConAgra.
Pot Pie Production Halted
All of the affected pot pies were manufactured at a ConAgra Foods facility in Missouri, and production at that plant was halted pending the outcome of the Salmonella outbreak investigation. Despite the health alert, ConAgra said was not recalling any generic or Banquet Pot Pies, but did offer consumers who had purchased the product mail-in refunds and store returns. Both the Banquet and store brand pot pies affected by the health alert were marked with “P-9” printed on the side of the box as part of a code above the “use-by” date. In a press release, ConAgra said that it was cooperating with the USDA investigation, but stated that it believed that the Salmonella outbreak was the result of consumers undercooking the pot pies. ConAgra said that it was working with the USDA to clarify the cooking instructions on the pot pies.
Banquet & Store Brand Pot Pies Recalled
On October 12, 2007, ConAgra Foods finally recalled all of its Salmonella tainted pot pies. Included in the pot pie recall were all chicken, turkey and beef pot pies sold under the following brand names: Banquet, Albertson’s, Food Lion, Great Value, Hill Country Fare, Kirkwood, Kroger, Meijer and Western Family. The pies were sold in 7 oz. single serving packages bearing an establishment number “P-9” or “Est. 1059” printed on the side of the package. The Salmonella contaminated pot pies were sold in all fifty states, as well as in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands. If you or a loved one has eaten a salmonella tainted pot pie and developed salmonella poisoning because of it please contact our food poisoning lawsuit lawyers by calling 1-800-YOURLAWYER (1-800-529 4636) or by filling out our free case review form to the right.
Salmonella Pot Pie Recall Delayed
The Banquet Pot Pie recall was announced after news reports circulated that health officials from Minnesota and Oregon had formally asked ConAgra to officially recall all of its contaminated pot pies. Although the company had offered customers refunds for returning pot pies and had requested that stores remove the defective product from their shelves, the company had not issued a formal recall announcement. The state health officials were concerned that the lack of a recall would lead consumers to believe that the Salmonella tainted pot pies were safe. But ConAgra rebuffed the health officials’ requests, and insisted the pies were safe as long as they were cooked properly. However, several hours after news stories about the requests made by Oregon and Minnesota health officials were publicized, ConAgra relented and announced the recall. According to ConAgra’s press release, the action was taken “to ensure the utmost clarity for consumers about the fact that they should not eat these products.” But by that time, 165 cases of Salmonella poisoning linked to the tainted ConAgra pot pies had already been confirmed in 31 states.
Salmonella Poisoning
According to the CDC, Salmonella sickens more than 40,000 people every year, and kills 600. Salmonella poisoning is marked by fever, abdominal pain, nausea, gas and bloody diarrhea. Symptoms appear within 36 hours of exposure, and usually last four to seven days. In very severe cases, Salmonella can lead to kidney failure and other complications. Salmonella can be particularly dangerous for children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. Some victims of Salmonella will develop a disease called Reiter’s Syndrome, a difficult- to- treat condition that causes severe joint pain, irritation of the eyes, and painful urination. Reiter’s Syndrome can plague its victims for months or years, and can lead to chronic arthritis.
Salmonella Has Been Linked to Pot Pie Maker in The Past
The Banquet Pot Pie Salmonella outbreak was the second time in less than a year that a ConAgra product was linked to the food borne bacteria. In February 2007, ConAgra recalled Peter Pan and Great Value Peanut Butter after they were blamed for a Salmonella epidemic that sickened 628 people in 47 states. It was determined that unsanitary conditions at ConAgra’s Sylvester, Georgia plant had allowed Salmonella bacteria to contaminate the peanut butter produced there. Peter Pan Peanut Butter was taken off the market following the recall. But ConAgra re-launched the brand in August 2007, just weeks before the Banquet Pot Pie Salmonella outbreak made news.
Need Legal Help Regarding Sickness after eating Banquet Pot Pie?
If you or a loved one recently ate either a Banquet Pot Pie or a store brand pot pie manufactured by ConAgra Foods and suffered from Salmonella poisoning, you may have valuable legal rights. Please fill out the form at the right for a free evaluation by a qualified food poisoning lawsuit attorney. Alternatively, call our toll-free number: 1-800-YOURLAWYER (1-800-968-7529).
