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Washington Firm Recalls Ground Beef
Products
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WASHINGTON, May 21, 2001--Evergreen Meats, Inc., a Port Angeles, Wash., firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 1,800 pounds of fresh and frozen ground beef and ground beef patties that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today. The ground beef products were produced on May 16 and distributed to wholesale establishments in Washington and from a retail store at the Evergreen Meats, Inc., establishment. All packages bear establishment number "EST. 6437" inside the USDA seal of inspection. The products being recalled from wholesale are:
The products distributed from the Evergreen Meats, Inc. retail store were sold in various sizes. "Because of the potential hazard of foodborne illness from consumption of meat products contaminated with harmful bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7, I urge consumers who have purchased the suspect product not to eat it and return it to the place of purchase," said Thomas Billy, FSIS administrator. "Consumers may wish to ask restaurants or places where they consume ground beef if the product or meal contains the recalled product." The problem was discovered through routine FSIS microbiological sampling. E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacteria that can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration. The very young, the elderly, and persons with compromised immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of this product. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a physician. Consumers and media with questions about the recall may contact John Chiasson, president, Evergreen Meats, Inc., at (360) 457- 8555. Consumers with food safety questions can phone the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-800-535-4555. The hotline can be reached from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday, and recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. # NOTE: Access news releases and other information at the FSIS Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov |
PREPARING GROUND BEEF FOR SAFE CONSUMPTION Consumers should only eat ground beef
patties that have been cooked to a safe temperature of 160 ºF. When a ground beef patty
is cooked to The only way to be sure a ground beef patty is cooked to a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria is to use an accurate digital instant-read thermometer. Color is not a reliable indicator that ground beef patties have been cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7. Eating a pink or red ground beef patty without first verifying that the safe temperature of 160 ºF has been reached is a significant risk factor for foodborne illness. Thermometer use to ensure proper cooking temperature is especially important for those who cook or serve ground beef patties to people most at risk for foodborne illness because E. coli O157:H7 can lead to serious illness or even death. Those most at risk include young children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems. |
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