Cargill Meat Solutions Corp., a Wyalusing, Pa. firm, recalled about 8,500 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The problem appears to be confined to the Northeast. FSIS determined that there is an association between the ground beef products subject to recall and the cluster of illnesses in the states of Maine and New York. The product subject to recall includes: 42-pound cases of "GROUND BEEF FINE 90/10," containing three (3) - approximately 14 pound chubs each. These products have a "use/freeze by" date of "07/01/10," and an identifying product code of "W69032." The products subject to recall bears the establishment number "EST. 9400" inside the USDA mark of inspection. These products were produced on June 11, 2010, and were shipped to distribution centers in Connecticut and Maryland for further distribution. It is important to note that the above listed products were repackaged into consumer-size packages and sold under different retail brand names. E. coli is a bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. Consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact the company's Consumer Line at (877) 788-4953.
