Family Files Suit Over E. coli Death

- January 16, 2013

A family in Minnesota has filed suit against three meat companies over the death of their brother, who died of kidney failure resulting from an E. coli infection, according to court documents.

The lawsuit involves the death of 62-year-old Robert Danell in January 2010, who died after being hospitalized for 10 days. Doctors did not realize that Danell, who suffered from Down's Syndrome, was infected with E. coli until it was too late to successfully treat him.

The suit names three meat producers - JBS USA, Tyson Fresh Meats, and Beef Products Inc. - and several retailers as defendants, and alleges that Robert fell ill after eating a Tyson hamburger which contained an additive from BPI and meat that was supplied by JBS.

Tyson issued a public statement claiming that their product was not the source of the E. coli. BPI announced that its additive, notoriously referred to in the media as "pink slime," is treated with ammonia to kill any pathogens, including the E. coli bacteria.