--- title: "Bill Marler: E. coli O26 Outbreak and Recall Illustrate Urgent Need for Change" date: 2010-08-30T12:34:00-07:00 author: admin canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/news_events/bill-marler-e.-coli-o26-outbreak-and-recall-illustrate-urgent-need-for-chan" section: News --- [All News](/news_events) / [Outbreaks](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/outbreaks) / # Bill Marler: E. coli O26 Outbreak and Recall Illustrate Urgent Need for Change *Food Safety Advocate has Petitioned USDA* The recent outbreak of *E. coli* O26 linked to three illnesses and the recall of four tons of ground beef products produced by Cargill Meat Solutions is the precise reason these pathogens need to be monitored, says Seattle food safety attorney Bill Marler. “It took a massive outbreak in 1993 for the USDA and beef industry to accept *E. coli* O157:H7 as an ‘adulterant,’ which means that it is actively tested for in our food supply. Its presence in beef halts distribution and triggers a recall,” said Bill Marler. “The USDA and beef industry know well that there are at least six additional strains of shiga-toxin producing *E. coli*: O45, O111, O121, O145, O103 and O26 that are highly dangerous to humans and should not exist in food.” Marler has been working since 2007 to get the additional *E. coli* strains added as adulterants, culminating in a $500,000 study to determine the prevalence of these toxins in the commercial beef supply. The study found these pathogens in nearly 1% of the tests. His firm, Marler Clark, in October 2009 filed a petition to the USDA requesting the change in USDA policy. It is estimated by the CDC that the six unregulated strains of *E. coli* sicken over 30,000 people a year and kill dozens. “The food safety community has been extremely frustrated with the lack of action from the USDA and the beef industry,” continued Marler. “I’m sure the families of the people affected in this most recent outbreak will be as outraged as I am that these pathogens, which can severely sicken and even kill, are allowed into the food supply unregulated.” Cargill has now recalled 8,500 pounds of ground beef products due to *E. coli* O26; three are sick in Maine and New York. In August 2008, an outbreak of *E. coli* O111 at an Oklahoma restaurant sickened 300 and killed one. 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The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more. [ Get a free consultation ](https://marlerclark.com/contact) ##### Related Resources ###### [E. coli Food Poisoning](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-food-poisoning) What is E. coli and how does it cause food poisoning? Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a highly studied, common species of bacteria that belongs to the family Enterobacteriaceae, so... ###### [E. coli O157:H7](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-o157h7) E. coli O157:H7 is a foodborne pathogen that causes food poisoning. E. coli O157:H7 is the most commonly identified and the most notorious Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) serotype in... ###### [Non-O157 STEC](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/non-o157-stec) Non-O157 Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli can also cause food poisoning. E. coli O157:H7 may be the most notorious serotype of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), but there are at least... ###### [Sources of E. coli](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/sources-of-e-coli) Where do E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) come from? The primary reservoirs, or ultimate sources, of E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 STEC in nature are... ###### [Transmission of and Infection with E. coli](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/transmission-of-and-infection-with-e-coli) While many dairy cattle-associated foodborne disease outbreaks are linked to raw milk and other raw dairy products (e.g., cheeses, butter, ice cream), dairy cattle still represent a source of contamination... ##### Outbreak Database #### Looking for a comprehensive list of outbreaks? The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more. [ View Outbreak Database ](https://outbreakdatabase.com)