WASHINGTON, June 24, 2001—Excel
Corporation, a Newnan, Ga., firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately
190,000 pounds of fresh ground beef and fresh ground pork that may be
contaminated with
E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety
and Inspection Service announced today.
All products being recalled were produced on May 23 and 24 and were
packaged in various sizes. These products were distributed to Kroger
stores in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky (Bowling Green, Hopkinsville,
Madisonville, and Powderly areas), South Carolina, and Tennessee
(Knoxville and Nashville areas).
Each package label bears a production date code of "01.05.23"
or "01.05.24," corresponding to a sell by date code of
"01.06.01" or "01.06.02." Additionally, each product
label bears the establishment number "86G" inside the USDA seal
of inspection.
The products subject to recall include:
- "Kroger FRESH GROUND BEEF,"
- "Kroger FRESH GROUND BEEF 93% LEAN,"
- "Kroger FRESH GROUND BEEF CHUCK,"
- "Kroger FRESH GROUND BEEF CHUCK FAMILY PACK,"
- "Kroger FRESH GROUND BEEF CHUCK PATTIES,"
- "Kroger FRESH GROUND BEEF CHUCK PATTIES FAMILY PACK,"
- "Kroger FRESH GROUND BEEF FAMILY PACK,"
- "Kroger FRESH GROUND BEEF PATTIES,"
- "Kroger FRESH GROUND BEEF PATTIES FAMILY PACK,"
- "Kroger FRESH GROUND BEEF ROUND,"
- "Kroger FRESH GROUND BEEF ROUND FAMILY PACK,"
- "Kroger FRESH GROUND BEEF ROUND PATTIES,"
- "Kroger FRESH GROUND BEEF ROUND PATTIES FAMILY PACK,"
- "Kroger FRESH GROUND BEEF ROUND THICK PATTIES,"
- "Kroger FRESH GROUND BEEF SIRLOIN,"
- "Kroger FRESH GROUND BEEF SIRLOIN PATTIES,"
- "Kroger FRESH GROUND BEEF THICK PATTIES,"
- "Kroger FRESH GROUND BEEF THICK-CHUCK PATTIES,"
- "Kroger FRESH GROUND BEEF THICK-SIRLOIN PATTIES,"
- "Kroger FRESH GROUND CHUCK PATTIES THICK," and
- "Kroger FRESH GROUND PORK."
"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. "USDA is informing the public so consumers
who may have purchased and stored the product in their refrigerators or
freezers can know to check."
The problem was discovered when officials in Georgia contacted FSIS
about suspected illnesses associated with this product. FSIS’s samples
of the product tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. A link between
the illnesses and the product has not been established at this time.
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.
Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a physician.
Consumers with questions about the recall may contact Kroger
Consumer/Customer Service at (800) 632-6900. Media with questions may
contact Mark Klein, Excel’s director of communications, at (770)
252-5199.
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.
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NOTE: Access news releases and other information at the FSIS Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov |
PREPARING GROUND BEEF FOR SAFE CONSUMPTION
Although the product being recalled
should be returned to the place of purchase, consumers preparing other ground beef
products should heed the following advice.
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 160 ºF throughout, it can be safe and juicy, regardless of color.
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. |