Huntington Beef E. coli Recall Involves Over 800,000 Pounds of Meat
E. coli contamination fears prompted a recall of 864,000 pounds of beef products by Huntington Meat Packing Inc., of Montebello, Calif., the USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) announced.
The various beef products include beef patties and burrito filling, as well as beef ground for further processing. There are two sets of products involved in this recall:
The first group of recalled beef products were produced between January 5 and 15 and shipped to distribution centers, restaurants and hotels throughout the state of California. The recalled products have the establishment number “EST. 17967″ and include:
- 40 lb. boxes of “Huntington Meats Ground Beef”
- 40 lb. boxes of “HUNTINGTON MEAT PKG. INC. BEEF GROUND FOR FURTHER PROCESSING”
- 40 lb. boxes of “BEEF BURRITO FILLING MIX”
- 10 lb. boxes of “IMPERIAL MEAT CO. GROUND BEEF PATTY”
- 20 lb. boxes of “IMPERIAL MEAT CO. GROUND BEEF PATTY”
- 10 lb. boxes of “El Rancho MEAT & PROVISION ALL BEEF PATTIES”
The second group involves the same products bearing the same establishment number, but they were produced between February and May 2008. According to the FSIS:
“While these products are normally used fresh, the establishment is taking this action out of concern that some product may still be frozen and in commerce.”
E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can be particularly harmful to small children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems. In serious cases, this pathogen can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome (E. coli HUS), which destroys red blood cells and can develop into acute kidney failure. Initial signs and symptoms of E. coli HUS may include:
- Bloody diarrhea
- Painful cramps
- Fever
- Irritability
- Lethargy
Anyone concerned about an illness related to recalled beef products should contact their physician.
Tags: Beef Recall, E coli O157, Food Poisoning Lawsuit, Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome
