E.Coli Contamination Leads to Beef Recall

Huntington Meat Packing, a Southern California based meat-packing firm has recalled around 864,000 pounds of ground-beef that might be contaminated with E. coli. The meat is sold under the Huntington, Imperial Meat and El Rancho brands. The affected beef was sold to distribution centers, restaurants and hotels in California between Feb. 19 and May 15, 2008, and between Jan 5. and Jan. 15, 2010. The labels on the recalled meat are stamped "EST. 17967". The recall includes:

• 40-pound boxes of "Huntington Meats Ground Beef"
• 40-pound boxes of "Huntington Meat Pkg. Inc. Beef Ground for Further Processing"
• 40-pound boxes of "Beef Burrito Filling Mix"
• 10-pound boxes of "Imperial Meat Co. Ground Beef Patty"
• 20-pound boxes of "Imperial Meat Co. Ground Beef Patty"
• 10-pound boxes of "El Rancho Meat & Provision All Beef Patties."
  

On Monday, 18th January, the Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) observed that so far no illnesses have been reported from the said products. Officials report that a food safety assessment led department personnel to make this discovery.

E. coli is a potentially deadly germ - it can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and, in the most severe cases, kidney failure. Children and the elderly are most at risk from this bacteria.

Read: USA Today
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