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Huge Amount of Ground Beef Recalled in US Amid E.Coli Fears |
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Written by Vanessa Bale
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Monday, 11 June 2007 |
Following a June 3 alert over possible E.coli contamination, California-based United Food Group has massively expanded the ground beef recall to 5.7 million pounds of fresh and frozen meat.
Initially 75,000 pounds of ground beef was recalled after the California Department of Health Services and the Colorado Department of Health issued an alert over a link between beef consumption and illnesses in several states.
The investigation was carried out in co-ordination with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Saturday that 14 people in six states exhibited signs of E.coli infection following consumption of ground beef.
However the USDA also said that all patients have now recovered. United Food Group had expanded the ground beef recall to 370,000 pounds on June 6, but the contaminated products have apparently been shipped far and wide forcing the group to expand the recall to 5.7 million pounds of ground beef.
Escherichia coli or (E. coli) is a bacterium normally found in the gut of human beings. Under normal circumstances, the bacteria play an important role in waste processing, vitamin K production, and food absorption from the large intestine.
However the E. coli strain O157:H7 is associated with a host of illnesses in man. Prime among these diseases are food poisoning, urinary tract infections, peritonitis, meningitis and septicemia.
The O157:H7 strain of E.coli was linked to the outbreak caused by fresh bagged spinach in late 2006. That outbreak claimed at least three lives and sickened hundreds. In the very young and the very old, E.coli can prove to be a fatal infection. E.coli is also found in raw and undercooked beef, infected water and milk.
Symptoms of E.coli infection include bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Most E.coli infections are linked to consuming undercooked, contaminated ground beef, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It added that there are at least 76 million cases of food borne disease reported in the country each year.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has the following guidelines to prevent E.coli infection,
* Cook all ground beef and hamburger thoroughly
* If you are served an undercooked hamburger or other ground beef product in a restaurant, send it back for further cooking.
* Wash fruits and vegetables under running water, especially those that will not be cooked.
* Make sure that persons with diarrhea, especially children, wash their hands carefully with soap after bowel movements to reduce the risk of spreading infection.
In recent months beef has become a suspected product and has forced many companies to recall massive amounts of processed meat amid fears of E.coli contamination. Last month a Michigan-based beef firm had to recall over 129,000 pounds of beef due to fears of E.coli contamination. That recall included 15 states where the suspect meat was distributed.
The current recall involves products having the number "EST. 1241" inside the USDA mark of inspection. According to the USDA all suspected beef has "use by date of April 15 and May 07, a freeze by date between April 23 and May 7 or a production date between April 6 and April 20."
Customers with questions about the recall can call United Food Group's hot line at 1-800-325-4164. Consumers with the suspected beef inside their freezers are advised to either throw it away or contact their nearest distributor for a refund.
Important Notice: Consumers are also advised that ground beef cooked to an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees F will kill harmful bacteria and is safe to eat. The best way to be sure ground beef is properly cooked is to use an accurate food thermometer.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 12 June 2007 )
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