About 5 million pizzas under the Totino’s and Jeno’s labels were recalled Thursday by General Mills because of possible E.coli contamination.
It is believed that the problem can be traced to pepperoni on the pizzas, which are produced at a General Mills plant in Ohio. The pepperoni comes from a separate supplier, but the Minneapolis-based General Mills declined to release the name of the pepperoni distributor.
The first of 21 E.coli illnesses under investigation by state and federal authorities emerged in July. The voluntary recall covers pizzas containing pepperoni that have been produced since then. According to www.king5.com, 9 of the 21 people who became ill with the E.coli virus reported eating Totino’s or Jeno’s pizza with pepperoni topping. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that eight of the victims have been hospitalized, and four have developed a type of kidney failure.
General Mills spokesman Tom Forsythe said, “We took action on that basis as a precaution, because of the possibility that a link might exist.” General Mills says it is not naming the supplier of the pepperoni because the source of the E.coli is still being investigated. General Mills is cooperating fully with the continuing investigation.
Symptoms of E.coli can include diarrhea and stomach cramps. Typically, people are ill for up to 5 days, but they can develop complications, including kidney failure.
If you believe you have contracted E.coli from eating a Jeno’s or Totino’s pizza containing pepperoni topping, contact your physician immediately. And call the Washington personal injury attorneys at Bernard Law Group, 1-800-418-8282, or visit our website, www.4injured.com