Health Law

Cargill Meat Subject to Recall for E. coli O157:H7 Contamination

By Marler Clark LLP

Not exactly a big one, but still a Class I, High health risk recall of 1,560 pounds of beef cheek products because they may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 was announced late today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety & Inspection Service (FSIS).

Fresno, CA-based Beef Packers Inc. is the company calling the meat back, but the name on it is Cargill.   Subject to the recall  are:  30-pound boxes of “CARGILL MEAT SOLUTIONS CORPORATION, BEEF CHEEK MEAT – SM BX.”

According to FSIS:

These boxes of beef cheek meat products bear the establishment number “EST. 354” and a “PACKED ON” date of “07/02/08,” ink-jet printed on the label.

However, the product was intended for further processing or for packaging as raw beef cheek meat and will likely not bear the establishment number “EST. 354” on products available for direct consumer purchase.

The problem was discovered by Beef Packers Inc.'s microbiological testing.

These beef cheek products were shipped to distributors in Fresno, Modesto, Santa Rosa and Vernon, CA.

Go here for the FSIS statement.

Full post as published by e.Coli Blog on July 24, 2008 (boomark / email).