WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2003—Abbyland Meats, an
Abbotsford, Wis., establishment, is voluntarily recalling approximately
78,600 pounds of fresh boneless beef that may be contaminated with E.
coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and
Inspection Service announced today.
The products being recalled are various cuts of
boneless beef shipped in containers of various weights and intended for
further processing (grinding). Each container bears the words "BONELESS
BEEF" and USDA establishment number "EST. 1633" inside the USDA mark of
inspection.
The beef was produced on Oct. 20, 2003, and
distributed to wholesale establishments in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio,
Illinois and Pennsylvania.
E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially
deadly bacteria that can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration. The very
young, seniors 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.
Media with questions about the recall may contact
Julie Jacobsen, company director of human resources, at 715-223-6386, ext.
7254.
Consumers with questions about the recall may
contact Tiffiny Pierce, company microbiologist, at 715-223-6386, ext. 7228.
Consumers with other food safety questions can
phone the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHOTLINE. The
hotline is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety
messages are available 24 hours a day.
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