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Ground Beef Recalled for E. coli O157:H7

By Dan Flynn and Suzanna Schreck

A Kansas company is recalling 14,158 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said late Tuesday. 
Creekstone Farms Premium Beef of Arkansas City announced the recall after third party lab results confirmed a positive result for E. coli O157:H7. The products were produced on Feb. 22, 2011, and were shipped to firms in Arizona, California, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington for further processing and/or distribution.
The products subject to recall include (view labels) :
-- Approx. 40-pound cases of "BEEF FINE GRIND 81/19 NATURAL," containing 10-pound chubs. These products have an identifying product code of "80185."
-- Approx. 40-pound cases of "BEEF CHUCK FINE GRIND 81/19 NATURAL," containing 10-pound chubs. These products have an identifying product code of "80285."
-- Approx. 40-pound cases of "BEEF SIRLOIN FINE GRIND 91/9 NATURAL," containing 10-pound chubs. These products have an identifying product code of "80495."
-- Approx. 40-pound cases of "BEEF FINE GRIND 90/10 NATURAL," containing 5-pound chubs. These products have an identifying product code of "85165."
-- Approx. 60-pound cases of "BEEF FINE GROUND 93/7," containing 10-pound chubs. These products have an identifying product code of "86191."
Each case label bears the establishment number "EST. 27" inside the USDA mark of inspection. 
FSIS cautions that the above listed products may have been repackaged into consumer-size packages and sold under different retail brand names. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website. 
There have been no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products. 
E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. The very young, seniors and persons with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness. 
FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160° F. The only way to confirm that ground beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature. 
Consumers with questions regarding the recall should contact Creekstone Farms' vice president of marketing, Jim Rogers, at 620-741-3352. 

Full post as published by Food Safety News on March 09, 2011 (boomark / email).