Richwood Meat Co, a California based company today voluntarily recalled about 107,943 pounds of frozen ground beef products amid concerns of possible E.Coli contamination.
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In an official announcement made today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, the ground beef manufactured under the establishment number EST. 8264 and a date code 118-6 or 4/28/06 are subject to recall.
Sample investigation done by the California Department of Health Services unfolded the possible contamination
A potentially deadly bacterium first discovered in 1982, Escherichia coli O157:H7 causes serious infection that leads to kidney failure and hemolytic uremic syndrome, a leading cause of death in children.
E. coli infection causes bloody diarrhea and dehydration. Though the infection typically resolves itself in 5 to 10 days, complications can arise in young children and adults with already hampered immune systems.
A leading cause of foodborne illness, E. coli is known to release a deadly toxin that causes the disease. Ground beef, bean sprouts and leafy vegetables are the easy source of infection. Easily contagious, the infection transmits through unhygienic conditions and personal habits.
The recall was announced in five sates after at least three cases of illness were reported in Napa County children after eating hamburgers at two Little League concession stands.
The frozen ground beef products and hamburger patties sold under the brands Fireriver, Chef's Pride, Ritz Food, Blackwood Farms, California Pacific Associates, C&C Distributing, Golbon and Richwood were produced on April 28, 2006 and were distributed in retail outlets in Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
Meanwhile, health authorities urged people to destroy or return the affected products bearing the stated products codes to the point of purchase.
The USDA has issued a list of 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.