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Ground Beef Recalled for E. coli

Oct 14, 2009 | Parker Waichman Alonso LLP

San Diego Meat Company, of San Diego, California is recalling approximately 925 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with the E. coli O157:H7 pathogen, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) just announced.

The ground beef products subject to this recall include:

• 15-pound cases of "SAN DIEGO MEAT, GROUND BEEF PATTIES."
• 10-pound bags of "SAN DIEGO MEAT, BULK GROUND BEEF."

Each case and bag bears establishment number "EST. 4116" inside the USDA marks of inspection and "Safe Handling Instructions" on the back of the packaging. The front of each package advises "KEEP REFRIGERATED." The recalled ground beef products were produced October 7, 2009 through October 9, 2009 and October 12, 2009 and were distributed to restaurants and two caterers in the San Diego County area, the FSIS wrote.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers, including restaurants, of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the recalled product is no longer available to consumers. This problem with recalled ground beef was discovered through FSIS microbiological sampling. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact a physician.

E. coli are a group of bacteria found in animal intestines and feces. While some strains are necessary for digestion; some are harmful, deadly, and toxin producing and part of a group of E. coli called Verocytotoxigenic E. coli, or VTECs, also known as Shiga-producing E. coli. Of particular concern is the virulent, sometimes deadly E. coli O157:H7 strain that is part of this group and is generally found to be the culprit in E. coli-related food-borne illness outbreak.

E. coli may cause fatal blood poisoning, cystitis, deadly septicemia, and death. Symptoms of E. coli infection include stomach cramps and watery diarrhea that may turn bloody within one to three days. E. coli taints meat through improper butchering and processing practices and, once released in the body, produces the Shiga-producing toxins that have been linked to kidney damage in young children, and can also lead to kidney failure and death.

The San Diego Meat Company’s owner, Bob Watkins can be reached at 1-619-233-8871.

Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are also available 24 hours a day.