E coli prompts California firm to recall beef products

Tuesday Jan 20, 2010 (foodconsumer.org) -- On January 18, the US issued a warning to inform consumers about a recall for 864,000 pounds of beef products produced by a California based meat processor called Huntington Meat Packing Inc. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service said the recall was triggered by possible contamination with E. Coli O157:H7, which was discovered during a routine testing by the agency.

The ground beef products subject to the recall were produced from Jan 5 to Jan 15, 2010 and include:

Each box carries the establishment number "EST. 17967" inside the USDA mark of inspection.  The ground beef products were shipped to distribution centers, restaurants, and hotels in California.

To idenfify the recalled products, consumers are advised to check the establishment number "EST. 17967" inside the USDA mark of inspection.  These products were also shipped to distribution centers, restaurants and hotels in California. 

Most E coli strains are harmless, but E. coli O157:H7 is pathogenic and can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure.  It is believed that the very young, elderly people and those with weak immune systems are at high risk for the food borne illness.

The FSIS has advised that consumers should only eat ground beef or ground beef patties that have been cooked to an internal temperature of 160 to kill harmful bacteria, including E coli O157:H7.

Always wash hands with soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat, including beef and poultry.  Also, raw meat should be kept in a refrigerator if it is not cooked within two hours.

Michael David from the Gastroenteric Disease Laboratory of the Pennsylvania State University told foodconsumer.org in 2006 that what killsconsumers is not e coli, which is the bad guy, but e coli toxins, which can be produced by other E coli strains.