E. coli Prompts New York City Market to Recall Deli Meats

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker is alerting consumers that Hamilton Corner Meat Market Inc.—1 Hamilton Place, New York, New York—is recalling all packages of its in-store ground beef, in-store sliced deli turkey, and in-store sliced deli ham sold on September 29, 2010, due to the presence of <"https://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/e_coli_escherichia_coli">E. coli O157:H7.

The recalled in-store ground beef, in-store sliced deli turkey and in-store sliced deli ham were all sold per order from the meat department and were coded with the date of purchase. The product was sold retail only from the store’s sole location at 1 Hamilton Place, New York, New York.

To date, no illnesses have been reported in connection with this recall; however, E. coli symptoms generally manifest about seven days following exposure and usually begin with sudden, severe abdominal cramps. This is followed in a few hours by watery diarrhea that eventually becomes bloody. Some victims may experience a mild fever, as well as nausea or vomiting.

E. coli O157:H7 causes a diarrheal illness often with bloody stools. While healthy adults can recover from E. coli infections in about a week, the disease is extremely dangerous for children, the elderly, or people with weakened immune systems, such as those undergoing chemotherapy treatment or the immunocompromised. In such patients, the infection can also cause a complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), in which the red blood cells are destroyed and the kidneys fail. This complication can lead to serious kidney damage and can be fatal.

The contamination was discovered after follow-up sampling by New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets’ food inspectors and subsequent analysis by the New York State Food Laboratory personnel revealed the presence of E. coli O157:H7 in samples of the in-store ground beef, in-store sliced deli turkey, and in-store sliced deli ham. As a result of the lab findings, food inspectors seized and destroyed all non-prepackaged products in the meat case. The store voluntarily closed the deli and meat processing sections of the store.

Consumers who have purchased any of the recalled products from this store on September 29, 2010 are urged to discard the product or return the product to the place of purchase.

The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that every year at least 2,000 Americans are hospitalized, with about 60 dying as a direct result of E. coli infection and related complications. Most infections come from eating undercooked ground beef, drinking contaminated water, drinking unpasteurized (raw) milk, and working with cattle. It is widely believed that these figures are grossly understated since many people do not report they have fallen ill.