E. Coli Worries Spur Chicago Company To Recall Beef Products

JSM Meat Holdings Company, Inc.-a Chicago-based meat company, is voluntarily recalling beef products distributed in 11 states because of possible E. coli contamination, federal officials announced. The beef products being recalled were intended for use in ground products.

The Food Service and Inspection Service (FSIS), a public health agency in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that first reported the problem, announced on May 16 that Chicago, Illinois-based maker of beef products is voluntarily recalling an unspecified amount of beef products due to possible contamination with E. coli O157:H7.

As of May 16, the FSIS had not received any reports of illnesses associated with consumption of the recalled beef.

The firm is recalling the meat from the states of Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. All products being recalled, bear the establishment number "EST. 6872" inside the USDA mark of inspection.

Most of the meat was packaged in 30-pound, 47- pound and 60-pound packages called Morreale Meat and presented by 15 different labels which include "Boneless Chucks," "Boneless Clods," "Flat Rounds," "Gooseneck Rounds," "Knuckle," "Heel Meat," "Scotties," "Trimmings 50," "Trimmings 60," "Trimmings 65," "Trimmings 70," "Trimmings 75," "Trimmings 80," "Trimmings 85," or "Trimmings 90."

Anyone with signs or symptoms of E coli infections should immediately consult a medical professional. Consumers with questions about the recall should contact company President Steve Hurckes at (312) 421-3664 X214.

One of the chief culprits behind food borne diseases, Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a potentially lethal bacterium that was first discovered in 1982. E. coli is known to release a deadly toxin that causes the disease. It spreads through ground beef, bean sprouts and leafy vegetables and is characterized by the symptoms of stomach cramps, dehydration and bloody diarrhea. The infection generally clears up in 5 to 10 days time.

However serious infection is known to cause kidney failure and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a disease that affects mostly children under the age of 10, but also may affect the elderly as well as persons with other illnesses.

The USDA recommends beef consumers to take a few precautions for preparing ground beef that would be safe for consumption. Consumers preparing ground beef products should heed the following advice:

• Cook ground beef throughout at a safe temperature of 160 ºF.
• Use an accurate food thermometer to check that beef is cooked at an appropriate temperature, as color is not a reliable indicator.
• Eating a pink or red ground beef without first verifying the cooking temperature of 160 ºF is a significant risk factor for acquiring E.Coli bacterium.

Person-to-person transmission is possible if we are not in the habit of washing our hands thoroughly. According to the Center for Disease Control, 73,000 cases of infection and 61 deaths occur in the United States each year.