Ground beef recall expanded

The County Department of Environmental Health is advising consumers to again check their freezers now that United Food Group of Vernon, CA, has expanded its recall to include a total of approximately 5.7 million pounds of both fresh and frozen ground beef products.

The company originally issued a recall of 75,000 pounds but decided to broaden the recall after its products were linked to illnesses in several states. The beef products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, a particularly dangerous strain of the bacteria.

In addition to specific products bearing labels from the manufacturer, some fresh ground beef was shipped in bulk and sold under different retail brand names, including 1st Street, Bashas, Sir Basha, Inter-American Products, Stater Bros. Markets and Moran’s. Several types of fresh ground beef patties were also shipped to retailers and sold under retail brand names.

The ground beef was distributed in California and ten other states. Consumers can identify the products by looking for the following:

• A “produced on” date between April 6 and April 20

• Labels bearing the establishment number “EST. 1241” inside the USDA mark of inspection or printed on the package

• A “use by”/“sell by” date between “APR/15/07” and “MAY/07/07” or a “freeze by” date between “APR/23/07” and “MAY/07/07”

Additionally, the recalled frozen beef products bear a “sell by” date between “08/06/07” and “01/20/08.”

Consumers who bought these products should not eat them and may wish to check with the stores where the products were purchased for information about return policies.

E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps and dehydration. The very young, seniors and persons with otherwise compromised immune systems are most at risk. Anyone who is ill should see a healthcare provider.

Consumers with questions about the recall should contact United Food Group Customer Service Representative James Turner at 1-800-325-4164. A full list of products included in this recall can be found online at http://www.fsis.usda.gov.

Information on general recall news and safety alerts can be found at http://www.foodsafety.gov. Consumers with questions about food safety can contact the USDA at 1-888-674-6854.