San Diego Meat Co. Ground Beef E. coli Recall
A finding of E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef made by San Diego Meat Co. has prompted a recall of 925 pounds of patties and bulk product.
USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) made the recall announcement, saying no illnesses have yet been reported in connection with the contamination. The positive test result came from routine sampling inspection by FSIS.
The recall relates to 15-pound cases of San Diego Meat patties and 10-pound bags of San Diego Meat bulk ground beef. They were produced on October 7, 8, 9 and 12, bearing the USDA establishment mark EST 4116 inside the agency’s mark of inspection.
FSIS says the ground beef was distributed to restaurants and two caterers in the San Diego County area of California.
If you or a loved one are concerned about an illness related to consumption of the recalled ground beef, contact a physician immediately. To protect your legal rights, contact national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen Attorneys at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free). We have a national reputation as a leader in the area of foodborne illness litigation, recovering tens of millions of dollars for victims of E. coli O157:H7 and other pathogens. Our legal team will provide you with a free case consultation by phone or by reviewing a completed online contact and information form.
E. coli O157:H7 bacteria can be killed in ground beef if the meat is cooked to at least 160 degrees, but it is not safe to handle adulterated raw meat because it can cross-contaminate kitchen surfaces and utensils. Most scientists agree that it only takes a few microbes of E. coli O157:H7 to infect a person, and once inside a person’s intestines the organism can wreak havoc.
E. coli Outbreak Prompts JBS Swift Recall
By Kathy Will
An E. coli outbreak that has sickened at least 18 people has been associated with JBS Swift Beef Company beef products. In response to this outbreak, JBS Swift issued a recall of 380,000 pounds of beef products because they may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.
The recalled JBS Swift Beef products were produced on April 21, 2009 and were distributed both nationally and internationally to establishments and retail stores nationwide for further processing.
The recalled products include intact cuts of beef, such as primals, sub-primals, or boxed beef typically used for steaks and roasts rather than ground beef. FSIS is aware that some of these products may have been further processed into ground products by other companies. The highest risk products for consumers are raw ground product, trim or other non-intact product made from the products subject to the recall.
Neither JSB Swift Beef nor the USDA has provided consumers with a list of establishments or retail stores involved in this recall. This means that consumers have to contact their point of purchase to determine if beef they consumed or beef they are storing is part of this JBS Swift recall.
Legally, establishments (restaurants, etc.) and retailers that then sold the products (whether further processed or not) may be liable, along with JBS Swift, to the E. coli victims and their families for any of the following:
- Medical expenses
- Lost Income
- Pain and suffering (includes amounts for physical pain, emotional distress, disability, and loss of quality of life).
The June 24 JBS Swift recall involved JBS Swift beef distributed to establishments and retailers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with E. coli, please contact our national E. coli litigation law firm:
- 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or
- Submit our free consultation form.
E. coli Prompts Beef Recall in New Jersey
By Pritzker Olsen
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service found evidence of E. coli O157:H7 contamination in ground beef at a New Jersey food company, prompting a recall this week of 345 pounds of meat.
Dutch Prime Foods Inc. of Long Branch, N.J., said it is recalling five-pound and 10-pound plastic bags of ground beef produced Nov. 18 and distributed to restaurants in New Jersey. The packages were delivered in shipping cases which bear the establishment number “EST. 5206″ inside the USDA mark of inspection.
FSIS said the problem was discovered through a routine sampling procedure by its own inspectors. The agency had received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of the suspect ground beef when the recall announcement was made Tuesday in a press release.
E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration. Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) is a complication of the infection that can cause kidney failure. Young children, seniors and persons with weak immune systems are the most susceptible.
Beef Packers Beef Cheek Recall
On July 23, 2008, the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service announced a recall issued by Beef Packers, Inc. of Fresno, California of 1,560 pounds of beef cheek product. The beef cheek may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.
The following products are subject to recall:
- 30-pound boxes of “CARGILL MEAT SOLUTIONS CORPORATION, BEEF CHEEK MEAT – SM BX.”
These boxes of beef cheek meat products bear the establishment number “EST. 354” and a “PACKED ON” date of “07/02/08,” ink-jet printed on the label. The product was intended for further processing or for packaging as raw beef cheek meat and will likely not bear the establishment number “EST. 354” on products available for direct consumer purchase.
These beef cheek products were shipped to distributors in Fresno, Modesto, Santa Rosa and Vernon, Calif.
No illnesses have been reported involved in this recall.
Signs of an E. coli infection include low grade fever, abdominal pain, irritability, fatigue, vomiting, muscle pain, and diarrhea (may be bloody).
