More states than originally thought were on the receiving end of potentially contaminated ground beef shipments from Fairbank Farms. Federal officials have associated fresh ground beef from the company with an active E. coli ground beef outbreak in New England.
After tests confirmed the presence of E. coli O157:H7, Fairbank recalled 545,699 pounds of ground beef products and beef chubs that are normally ground into hamburger at stores. The Ashville, New York, meatpacker said the potentially contaminated meat went to Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Virginia and Pennsylvania.
In addition, the USDA has said some Maine residents have been sickened in the outbreak and health officials in New Hampshire have warned residents of that state to be on the lookout in their freezers for the recalled E. coli ground beef.
All of the product in question carries the USDA establishment number EST 492 inside the mark of inspection. That number is the plant identifier for Fairbank Farms.
The recalled ground beef, most of which was sold in retail store meat cases, is mostly 23 to 32 days past its expiration date by now, so it isn’t in stores. But Fairbank said the following retailers carried ground beef that was subsequently recalled: Trader Joe’s, Shaw’s, BJ Wholesale Club/Burris, ACME, Ford Brothers, Giant Food Stores and Price Chopper.
The USDA said the recalled ground beef is associated with a cluster of E. coli O157:H7 infections in Massachusetts, Maine and Connecticut, but the agency did not say how many. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and several state departments of health and agriculture are assisting in the investigation.
Anyone sickened by ground beef purchased from these stores should see a physician immediately. For information on victims’ legal rights, call national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen Attorneys at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free).
E. coli O157:H7 is a pathogenic bacteria that can have long-term health consequence, frequently starting with kidney failure. In more than 5 percent of cases, patients develop life-threatening hemolytic uremic syndrome, or (HUS). Children under 5 and adults over 60 are most likely to develop E. coli HUS and more than 4 percent of cases result in death.
Here is the latest recall information from a press release issued by Fairbank Farms:
ACME
Packaged products (Sell-by dates ranging from 09/19/09 through 09/28/09)
§ Wild Harvest Natural Angus Ground Beef 85/15, 1#
§ Lancaster Brand Extra Lean Ground Beef 96/04, 1#
§ Lancaster Brand Ground Beef 90/10, 1# & 2#
BJ’s Wholesale Club/Burris
Packaged products (Sell-by dates ranging from 09/19/09 through 09/28/09)
§ Fresh Ground Beef Patties 85/15, 5#
§ Lean Ground Beef 93/07, 3# & 5#
§ Meatloaf and Meatball Mix, 2.5#
Ford Brothers
Packaged products (Sell-by dates ranging from 09/19/09 to 09/28/09)
§ Fresh Ground Beef Patty 80/20, 3#
Giant Food Stores
Packaged products (Sell-by dates ranging from 09/19/09 to 09/28/09)
§ Giant Meatloaf & Meatball Mix, 1#
§ Giant Nature’s Promise Ground Beef, 1#
§ Giant Nature’s Promise Ground Beef Patties
§ Giant Extra Lean Ground Beef 96/04, 1#
Price Chopper
Packaged products (Sell-by dates ranging from 09/19/09 to 09/28/09)
§ Price Chopper Meatloaf & Meatball Mix, 1# & 2.5#
§ Price Chopper Extra Lean Ground Beef 96/4, 1#
§ Price Chopper Fresh Ground Beef Chuck for Chili 80/20, 1#
Shaw’s Supermarkets, Inc.
Packaged products (Sell-by dates ranging from 09/19/09 to 09/28/09)
§ Shaw’s Fresh Ground Beef 93/7, 1# and 2#
§ Shaw’s Fresh Ground Beef 80/20, 1#, 2#, 3#
§ Shaw’s Fresh Ground Beef 75/25, 1# and 3#
§ Shaw’s Fresh Ground Sirloin Beef Patties 90/10, 1.3#
§ Shaw’s Fresh Ground Round Beef Patties 85/15, 1.3#
§ Shaw’s Fresh Ground Beef Patties 80/20, 1.3#
§ Shaw’s Fresh Ground Beef Patties Family Pack 80/20, 3#
§ Shaw’s Angus Ground Beef 85/15, 1#
§ Shaw’s Fresh Ground Round Beef 85/15, 1#, 2#, 3#
§ Shaw’s Natural Ground Beef 90/10, 1#
§ Shaw’s Natural Ground Beef 85/15, 1#
§ Shaw’s Fresh Ground Sirloin 90/10, 1#, 2#, 3#
§ Meatloaf & Meatball Mix, 1#
Trader Joe’s
Brick packs (Sell-by dates 10/06/09 or10/07/09)
§ Trader Joe’s Butcher Shop Fine Quality Meats Ground Beef 85/15, 1#
§ Trader Joe’s Butcher Shop Fine Quality Meats Ground Beef 80/20, 1#
Packaged Products (Sell-by dates ranging from 09/19/09 to 09/28/09)
§ Trader Joe’s Butcher Shop Fine Quality Meats Beef Patty 85/15, 1#
§ Trader Joe’s Butcher Shop Fine Quality Meats Ground Beef 96/4 Extra Lean, 1#
