- WASHINGTON (Reuters) - IBP
Inc (IBP), the nation's top beef processor, said Thursday it recalled about
500,000 pounds of ground beef that may be contaminated with a potentially
deadly bacteria, but said no illnesses had been reported from the meat.
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- The incident was the second major recall by a beef company
for E. coli O157:H7 this week, coming at a time when Americans prepare
for barbecues to celebrate the Labor Day holiday this weekend.
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- IBP spokesman Gary Mickelson said no illnesses had been
reported or linked to the meat.
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- The company recalled all ground beef products made on
August 7 at its Dakota City, Nebraska plant, he said. The recall was launched
after a routine ground beef sample taken by the U.S. Agriculture Department
tested positive for E. coli O157:H7.
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- That variety of E.coli ranks as one of the deadliest
forms of food poisoning. It can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and
kidney failure in young children, the elderly and others with weak immune
systems.
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- IBP, which is being acquired by Tyson Foods Inc (TSN),
said wholesale distributors and retailers in 36 U.S. states and the District
of Columbia were contacted and asked to return any remaining beef. Much
of the meat was distributed in five- and 10-pound tubes to grocers and
restaurants, who repackaged and sold the meat to consumers.
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- "This means there is no brand name, product code
or production lot numbers for consumers to check on meat they may have
in their possession," IBP said in a statement. "Any concerned
consumer may want to ask at the store where they buy their ground beef
whether it received any of the recalled product."
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- The company said the action did not include any prepackaged
fresh or frozen beef patties, or trays of ground beef.
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- SECOND RECALL IN FOUR DAYS
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- The recall is the second one in less than a week by a
U.S. beef processor.
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- On Monday, meat processor American Foods Group Inc. recalled
530,000 pounds of ground beef in 17 states because of E. coli concerns.
Many of its products were distributed through the No. 1 U.S. grocery chain,
Kroger Co (KR).
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- The Illinois Department of Health was investigating a
recent E. coli outbreak in the Chicago area.
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- The department said that, as of Thursday, 40 cases of
E. coli illnesses were reported in the Chicago metropolitan area. Of the
40 cases, 18 people were hospitalized. However, officials said no link
had been made to a specific beef processor.
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- "We are taking this investigation seriously because
O157:H7 can potentially be a fatal disease for certain groups of people,"
health department spokesman P.J. Burtle-McCredie said. "We caution
people to cook their meat properly when they are grilling or barbecuing."
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- The deadly E. coli O157:H7 bacteria is destroyed by cooking
meat to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit. The bacteria occurs naturally
in the intestinal tract of healthy cattle.
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- The largest U.S. food recall for E. coli contamination
was in the summer of 1997 when Hudson Foods Inc withdrew about 25 million
pounds of ground beef after 15 people in Colorado were sickened by the
meat.
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- Hudson was purchased by poultry giant Tyson Foods one
year later.
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- On Thursday, IBP shares were traded a touch higher in
late morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange, up eight cents at
$24.63.
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- Tyson Foods said earlier this week it expects to complete
its acquisition of IBP on Sept. 28 to create the world's largest meat company
with annual revenue of about $25.7 billion.
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- The USDA said in a statement that some of IBP's recalled
meat packages bore the stamp "EST. 245C" when they were delivered
to wholesalers and distributors.
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- States involved in the IBP recall are: Alabama, Arizona,
Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota,
Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Jersey,
Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
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- ©2001 Reuters Limited.
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