Stop & Shop E. coli Outbreak

In September 2005, Hercules Tsirovakas tested positive for E. coli infection. Questions posed to his uncle resulted in the information that Tsirovakas has purchased two packages of 75% lean ground beef at the Stop & Shop Grocery Store in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Since there were leftover hamburger meat still at the residence, Tsirovakas’ uncle delivered the product to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services for testing. In addition, the City of Manchester Department of Health sent a specialist to the Stop & Shop.
Investigators found all seven samples submitted tested positive for E. coli O157:H7.
The Stop & Shop issued a Public Health Advisory and recall regarding the ground beef sold at their grocery store.
Because the Stop & Shop did not keep records of what pieces of meat were ground and added to its hamburger meat, the USDA was unable to trace back the source of the E. coli contamination to a single beef source. No additional cases of E. coli infection was reported, and the case was closed in October 2005.