Personal Injury Law

E. Coli Concerns Prompt Beef Recall

By Jamie Sheller

Almost one million pounds of ground beef products are being recalled by Huntington Meat Packiing Inc., of Montebello, CA. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the beef products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. All boxes of the recalled beef products have the establishment number "EST. 17967" inside the USDA mark of inspection on a label. The recalled beef products were produced between January 5, and January 15, 2010, and shipped to distribution centers, restaurants, and hotels in California.

In reviewing the records of Huntington Meat Packing, Inc., the FSIS also determined that earlier-produced beef products from the company may be contaminated with E. coli as well. Therefore, some beef products from Huntington, produced and shipped between February 19, 2008 and May 15, 2008, are also subject to a recall. These recalled beef products also bear the establishment number "EST. 17967" inside the USDA mark of inspection on a label, and were shipped to distribution centers, restaurants, and hotels in California. The FSIS is taking this action with regard to the products produced in 2008, due to a concern that some of the beef may be frozen and still in commerce.

E. coli can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and kidney failure, and is potentially deadly.

The FSIS virtual representative "Ask Karen" is available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov, for consumers with food safety questions. Consumers can also call the USDA Meat and Poultry hotline at 1-888-674-6854, Mon. - Fri., 10 am - 4 pm, eastern time.

Full post as published by Philadelphia Personal Injury Lawyer on January 19, 2010 (boomark / email).