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Beef Recalled Due to E. Coli Link

1.2 million pounds of beef produced by a Nebraska processing firm is being recalled, due to possible contamination from e. Coli bacteria, federal health officials announced on Friday. A number of grocery chains -- including Whole Foods Markets and Fred Meyer stores -- have announced that they are pulling affected ground beef products from their shelves.

The affected beef was produced between June 17 and July 8 at Nebraska Beef Ltd. in Omaha, and was sent to establishments and retail stores nationwide for further processing. The recall has been deemed a "Class 1" recall by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) -- the agency's highest risk classification -- meaning there is a reasonable probability that eating the affected food will cause health problems or death. Reuters reports that the recalled beef consists of "primal and subprimal cuts that are larger sections of cows, such as chuck and rib, that can be cut down for individual or family-sized packaging." An investigation by state health officials, FSIS, and the Centers for Disease Control has linked 31 cases of e. Coli sickness (in 12 states and Canada) to the recalled beef. FSIS is advising consumers to contact Nebraska Beef Ltd. Vice President of Administration James Timmerman at 402-733-0456, with any questions or concerns about the recall.

• FSIS News Release: Nebraska Firm Recalls Beef Products Due to Possible E. Coli 0157:H7 Contamination
• Reuters: Nebraska Firm Recalls Beef Due to E. Coli
• Washington Post: Whole Foods Recalls Beef Processed at Plant Long At Odds with USDA
• Whole Foods Market: Press Release on Ground Beef Recall
• Seattle Times: Fred Meyer Joins Ground Beef Recall
• Fact Sheet: Beef...from Farm to Table (FSIS)
• Fact Sheet: FSIS Food Recalls (FSIS)
• What is e. Coli? (FindLaw)
• Food Poisoning and the Law (FindLaw)

Full post as published by FindLaw's Common Law on August 11, 2008 (boomark / email).