Three of Largest Meat Recalls in History Tied to Beef E coli
A new study of the largest recall of meat in U.S. history shows that three of the top six meat recalls ever were caused by E. coli O157:H7 in beef.
The information was compiled by The Food Industry Center at the University of Minnesota in an in-depth case study of the 2008 recall of 143 million pounds of beef from Westland/Hallmark Meat Packing Co. in Chino, California.
In that case, the massive recall was spurred by Humane Society of the United States video of inhumane treatment of cows at the plant and USDA’s admission that meat produced at the plant was unfit for human consumption because it was processed without lawful inspection.
The Westland/Hallmark recall on February 17, 2008, was by far the largest ever. The two next largest were caused by Listeria contamination — one in Michigan in 1999 for 35 million pounds and a poultry recall in Pennsylvania in 2002 for 27 million pounds.
Numbers four, five and six were beef E. coli recalls related to E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks that included cases of life-threatening hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), the leading cause of kidney failure in children.
Fourth Largest: 1977 Hudson Foods Co. of Nebraska/ 25 million pounds of ground beef sold to quick-service retailers. Tied to an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak of about 20 illnesses.
Fifth Largest: 2007 Topps Meats Co. of New Jersey/ 21.7 million pounds of frozen ground beef patties. Tied to more than 30 E. coli O157:H7 illnesses in eight states.
Sixth Largest: 2002 ConAgra Foods of Colorado/ 18.6 million pounds of beef. Tied to an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in 10 states that sickened at least 34 people.
Tags: beef recall, e. coli hus
