Swift Expands Beef Recall

E. COLI O157 - USA (03): BEEF, RECALL
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A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: Sun 28 Jun 2009
Source: Yahoo News, Reuters report [edited]



A Colorado meat company is expanding a recall of beef due to possible
contamination by _E. coli_ O157:H7 bacteria after an investigation found 18
illnesses may be linked to the meat, the company and the US Agriculture
Department said on Sunday [28 Jun 2009].

Greeley, Colorado-based JBS-Swift Beef Co is voluntarily expanding its 24
Jun 2009 recall to include about 380 000 lbs (172.3 tonnes) of assorted
beef products, for a total recall of about 421 000 lbs [191 tonnes], USDA
and the company said. The affected beef was produced on 21 Apr 2009 and was
distributed nationally and internationally. "The contamination may have
come from further processing by other companies," Chandler Keys, JBS
spokesman, said on Sunday [28 Jun 2009].

USDA said the recalled products are typically used for steaks and roasts
rather than ground beef. However, it said some of the beef may have been
processed into ground products by other companies. It is unlikely the
recall will be expanded further, and JBS will be contacting customers that
received the beef to learn how the product was distributed, said Keys.

The contamination was investigated by USDA's Food Safety and Inspection
Service in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

--
communicated by:
Sara M Volk, PhD
Department of Pathology
Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases
University of Texas Medical Branch
Galveston, Texas, USA


[A key issue in the recall is that it is not primarily related to ground
beef but rather steaks and roasts, some of which might be processed into
ground beef. In most situations, surface contamination with the pathogen is
not an issue since the piece of meat is cooked at least on the outside.
However, as noted in a past ProMED-mail posting (E. coli O157, frozen
steaks - USA (Midwest): recall 20030701.1617), the bacteria associated with
the steak are usually external, meaning that the pathogen would be killed
by heat, which might not inactivate internal bacteria. In that posting, the
meat had been injected with tenderizers so that the _E. coli_ could be
inoculated internally. This technique to fool Mother Nature once again may
produce more collective harm than individual good. The mechanism of
contamination of steaks in a more recent ProMED posting (E. coli O157,
steak - USA (PA): recall 20070426.1362) was not stated.

ProMED-mail thanks Dr Volk for this posting and awaits more information
regarding the form of meat associated with the outbreak strain. - Mod.LL

The state of Colorado can be located on the HealthMap/ProMED-mail
interactive map at . - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]

[see also:
E. coli O157 - USA (02): refrigerated cookie dough 20090623.2291
E. coli O157 - USA: refrigerated cookie dough 20090619.2259
2008
---
E. coli O157 - USA (09): (WA), susp. 20081021.3336
E. coli O157 - USA (08): (CA), cooked beef 20081007.3181
E. coli O157, university students - USA (06): California lettuce 20081015.3266
E. coli O157, university students - USA: (MI) 20080922.2987
E. coli O157 - USA (07): (MA) alert 20080811.2475
E. coli O157 - USA: (OH, MI), unknown source 20080624.1947
E. coli O157, lettuce - USA: (WA) 20080606.1807
E. coli O157, restaurant - USA: (HI) 20080228.0811
2007
---
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate) (09) 20071126.3823
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate) (08): Canada 20071029.3511
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate) (04): 2nd manufacturer
20071007.3304
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate) (03): CDC report 20071003.3272
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate): alert, recall 20070927.3201
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (NY): alert, recall 20070926.3190
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (WA, OR): alert 20070830.2855
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (NY) 20070725.2387
E. coli VTEC, prisoners - USA (CO) (02) 20070714.2263
E. coli VTEC, prisoners - USA (CO): RFI 20070712.2236
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (west) (03): expanded recall 20070611.1902
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (west): recall 20070606.1831
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate): recall 20070514.1532
E. coli O157, steak - USA (PA): recall 20070426.1362
E. coli O157, restaurant - USA (CA) (03) 20070410.1204
E. coli O157, restaurant - USA (CA) 20070403.1131
E. coli O157, spinach - USA (multistate): 2006, FDA report 20070326.1051
E. coli O157, bagged salad greens - USA (multistate) 20070121.0288
E. coli O157, lettuce - USA (multistate): 2006 20070112.0158
2006
---
E. coli O157, fast food - USA (multistate) (05): lettuce 20061214.3516
E. coli O157, fast food - USA (IA, MN): lettuce 20061214.3515
E. coli O157, fast food - USA (multistate): green onions 20061206.3441
E. coli O157 - USA (NJ, NY) 20061205.3425
E. coli O157 - USA (NJ) 20061203.3415
E. coli O157, spinach - USA (multistate) (20) 20061027.3067
E. coli O157, spinach - USA (multistate): alert 20060915.2608
E. coli O157 - USA (multistate): unknown source 20060410.1068
E. coli O157, unpasteurized milk - USA (OR, WA) (04) 20060121.0199]

.................ll/mj/sh


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