CDC: Contaminated Beef May Be Linked to 2 Deaths
#10
  Re: (...)
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Monday, November 02, 2009
Associated Press

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Contaminated fresh ground beef caused a possible E. coli outbreak that killed two people and sent 16 others to hospitals, federal health officials said Monday.

Twenty-eight people may have become ill after eating beef produced by Fairbank Farms of Ashville, N.Y., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. All but three of the suspected infections are in the northeastern U.S. and 18 are in New England, said CDC spokeswoman Lola Scott Russell.

Fairbank Farms recalled almost 546,000 pounds of fresh ground beef that had been distributed in September to stores from North Carolina to Maine. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's recall notice, dated Saturday, said the possibly tainted meat had been sold in numerous ways, from meatloaf and meatball mix to hamburger patties.

One of the deaths was an adult from Albany County, N.Y., who had several underlying health conditions, according to the state Health Department. The other fatality was previously reported by New Hampshire, where health officials said a patient died of complications.

The CDC did not specify the states where people were hospitalized. Kidney failure is found in the most severe cases of E. coli. In less serious cases, the potentially deadly bacterium can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration.

Some of the ground beef was sold at Trader Joe's, Price Chopper, Lancaster, Wild Harvest, Shaw's, BJ's, Ford Brothers and Giant stores in packages that carried the number "EST. 492" on the label. Those products were packaged Sept. 15-16 and may have been labeled with a sell-by date from Sept. 19 through Sept. 28, meaning they're no longer being sold as fresh product in supermarkets, Fairbank Farms said.

The rest of the ground beef, packaged in wholesale-sized containers under the Fairbank Farms name, was distributed to stores in Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia. That meat was likely repackaged for sale and would likely have differing package and sell-by dates.

The USDA was urging customers with concerns to contact the stores where they bought the meat.

Ron Allen, Fairbank's CEO, urged consumers to check their freezers for the recalled ground beef.

Companies subject to such recalls are allowed to cook tainted meat to kill the bacteria and then use it in other products, a common practice in the food industry.

That won't happen in this case, the company said.

"At the end of the day, this product ... is going in the garbage," said company spokeswoman Agi Schafer.

Located in the southwestern corner of New York a few miles from the Pennsylvania line, Fairbank Farms has had two other voluntary recalls over the last two years, according to the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service.

In September 2007, the company recalled 884 pounds of ground beef products because they may have been contaminated with E. coli, the agency said. And in May 2008, it recalled 22,481 pounds of ground beef products that may have contained pieces of plastic.

Symptoms of E. coli infections usually show up three to four days after a person eats contaminated food, although in some cases it can be as long as eight days. Officials said anyone having symptoms should immediately contact a doctor.

Russell, the CDC spokeswoman, said the E. coli strain involved in the recall, 0157:H7, infects about 70,000 Americans a year and kills 52.

After dropping for a few years, annual recalls of ground beef and other beef products contaminated with E. coli have rebounded, with at least a dozen recalls through October 2009, according to USDA data.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York wants federally mandated E. coli inspections of all ground beef.

"This is a stark reminder that food is still going straight to our kitchens and grocery stores without being properly tested to ensure its safety," Gillibrand said. "It's spreading too many diseases and costing too many lives. ... It's time to address the gaps in the inspection process."



If blueberry muffins have blueberries in them, what do vegan muffins have?
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#11
  Re: CDC: Contaminated Beef May Be Linked to 2 Deaths by labradors ([blockquote]Quote:[h...)
Thanks Labs. This touches me. I guess I'm off ground beef for a while. I'll check my store, but since it's an IGA and their stuff comes from a warehouse way off, I'm not sure they'll know.
Daphne
Keep your mind wide open.
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#12
  Re: Re: CDC: Contaminated Beef May Be Linked to 2 Deaths by Gourmet_Mom (Thanks Labs. This t...)
Luckily we bought a lot of ground beef at Costco before we moved out here. I may stick to ground buffalo for a while.
You only live once . . . but if you do it right once should be enough!
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#13
  Re: Re: CDC: Contaminated Beef May Be Linked to 2 Deaths by Harborwitch (Luckily we bought a ...)
This is why I grind my own hamburger. You just cannot trust that these places, even local butchers, are really cleaning the equipment the way it needs to be cleaned.

It amazes me that the simplest of proceedures can prevent this type of outbreak and yet many still take short cuts with our health.
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#14
  Re: Re: CDC: Contaminated Beef May Be Linked to 2 Deaths by DFen911 (This is why I grind ...)
50% chuck and 50% boneless short ribs - what I use for ground beef.
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
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#15
  Re: Re: CDC: Contaminated Beef May Be Linked to 2 Deaths by cjs (50% chuck and 50% bo...)
I use London Broil and chuck
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#16
  Re: Re: CDC: Contaminated Beef May Be Linked to 2 Deaths by DFen911 (I use London Broil a...)
I'm getting a better grinder! I've put it off long enough. I have one with my KA, but from experience, it is just too tedious for large quantities. The better ones are not that expensive...on my kitchen gadget short list. I'm surprised William hasn't insisted with all the deer meat we get every year. They just use it as steaks, roasts, and stew. Whatcha wanna bet when I get one, it will disappear to the farm?!?!?!?!
Daphne
Keep your mind wide open.
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#17
  Re: Re: CDC: Contaminated Beef May Be Linked to 2 Deaths by Gourmet_Mom (I'm getting a better...)
Oh Daphne, then you could make Venison Sausage also!! Man, I used to love that.
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
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#18
  Re: Re: CDC: Contaminated Beef May Be Linked to 2 Deaths by cjs (Oh Daphne, then you...)
That's what I'm thinking! There are just too many things I could and WOULD use it for not to go on and bite the bullet and get one.
Daphne
Keep your mind wide open.
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