New E. Coli: The Latest in Sick Meat

I know that many Care2 members aren’t necessarily the most carnivorous of the lot–but I know many vegans who like to keep abreast of meat news. So, here’s the latest on sickening beef…Fairbank Farms, an Ashville, NY, “establishment” (as described in the CDC press release: can you say “euphemism”?) is recalling approximately 545,699 pounds of fresh ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

Several state health departments, the CDC, and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service are investigating this multi-state outbreak, for which a notice of recall was issued on October 31, 2009. The cluster of illnesses reported includes twenty-eight persons from 12 states infected with matching strains of E. coli O157:H7. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: California (1), Connecticut (4), Massachusetts (8), Maryland (1), Maine (2), Minnesota (1), New Hampshire (4), New Jersey (1), New York (1), Pennsylvania (2), South Dakota (2), and Vermont (1).

So let’s get to the meat of the matter–where has this tainted beef been sold?

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. Most of the beef packages in the recall bear the establishment number “Est. 492″ inside the USDA mark of inspection and have identifying package dates of “091509″ or “091609.” Consumers are urged to check their refrigerators and freezers for beef products produced by this firm and purchased on or after September 15, 2009 and discard or return the recalled beef products to the place of purchase for a refund. Customers with questions about the source of a package of beef should contact the place where they purchased it.

The products subject to recall include:

Trader Joes
1-pound packages of “TRADER JOE’S BUTCHER SHOP FINE QUALITY MEATS GROUND BEEF 85/15.”

1-pound packages of “TRADER JOE’S BUTCHER SHOP FINE QUALITY MEATS GROUND BEEF 80/20.” (NOTE: The sell-by dates for the above two products may be October 6 or 7, 2009.)

1-pound trays of “TRADER JOE’S BUTCHER SHOP FINE QUALITY MEATS GROUND BEEF PATTIES 96/4 EXTRA LEAN.”

1-pound trays of “TRADER JOE’S BUTCHER SHOP FINE QUALITY MEATS GROUND BEEF PATTIES 85/15.”

Price Chopper
1- and 2.5-pound trays of “PRICE CHOPPER MEATLOAF & MEATBALL MIX.”

1-pound trays of “PRICE CHOPPER EXTRA LEAN GROUND BEEF 96/4.”

1-pound trays of “PRICE CHOPPER FRESH GROUND BEEF CHUCK FOR CHILI 80% LEAN 20% FAT.”

Lancaster and Wild Harvest
1-pound trays of “LANCASTER BRAND 96/4 EXTRA LEAN GROUND BEEF.”

1- and 2-pound trays of “LANCASTER BRAND 90/10 GROUND BEEF.”

1-pound trays of “WILD HARVEST NATURAL 85/15 ANGUS GROUND BEEF.”

Shaw’s
1- and 2-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF 93/7.”

1-, 2- and 3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF 80/20.”

1- and 3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF 75/25.”

1.3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND SIRLOIN BEEF PATTIES 90/10.”

1.3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND ROUND BEEF PATTIES 85/15.”

1.3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF PATTIES 80/20.”

3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF PATTIES FAMILY PACK 80/20.”

1-pound trays of “SHAW’S ANGUS GROUND BEEF 85/15.”

1-, 2- and 3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND ROUND BEEF 85/15.”

1-pound trays of “SHAW’S 90% NATURAL GROUND BEEF.”

1-pound trays of “SHAW’S 85% NATURAL GROUND BEEF.”

1-, 2- and 3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND SIRLOIN 90/10.”

1-pound trays of “MEATLOAF & MEATBALL MIX.”

BJ’s
5-pound trays of “FRESH GROUND BEEF, CONTAINS 15 % FAT” patties.

3- and 5-pound trays of “LEAN GROUND BEEF, CONTAINS 7% FAT.”

2.5-pound trays of “MEATLOAF & MEATBALL MIX.”

Ford Brothers
3-pound trays of “FRESH GROUND BEEF, CONTAINS 20% FAT” patties.

Giant
1-pound trays of “GIANT EXTRA LEAN GROUND BEEF 96/4.”

1-pound trays of “GIANT MEATLOAF & MEATBALL MIX.”

1-pound trays of “GIANT NATURE’S PROMISE GROUND BEEF.”

1-pound trays of “GIANT NATURE’S PROMISE GROUND BEEF PATTIES.”

For updated information, check the E. coli page at the Centers for Disease Control and Infection website. For an in-depth look at E. coli and food safety, see the Care2 post Ground Beef Gone Bad.

And as I end all my posts on tainted meat, some recipes!
Black Bean and Mushroom Burgers
Lentil Almond Burgers
Beet and Carrot Burgers