Company Recalling Ground Beef Sold to Retail Markets in Colorado
Due to Salmonella Newport
DENVER— The Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment today announced that Beef Packers, Inc., a Fresno, Calif.,
establishment, is recalling approximately 826,000 pounds of ground beef
products that may be linked to an outbreak of illness from Salmonella
Newport.
State health officials, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture and several other state health departments have been
investigating an outbreak of infections that are resistant to
several commonly used antibiotics. To date, cases of illness
have been identified in 11 states. The majority of cases, 21
illnesses, have been reported in Colorado in the following
counties: Arapahoe (3), Broomfield (3), Denver (3), Douglas (1),
Elbert (1), Garfield (1), Jefferson (5), Mesa (1), Pueblo (1)
and Weld (2). Four people have been hospitalized, and all are
recovering.
Most people became ill during late June and
early July, with the most recent illness occurring July 13.
Because it can take at least two weeks for cases of illness to
be reported to the state health department, it is possible
additional cases may be reported. This is the second large
outbreak of Salmonella the department has investigated since
July 1. Both outbreaks have been linked to ground beef.
The ground beef products associated with the
known cases were produced on various dates ranging from June 5,
2009, through June 23, 2009, and bear the establishment number
"EST. 31913" printed on the case code labels.
The ground beef products were distributed to
retail distribution centers in Arizona, California, Colorado and
Utah. Of Colorado’s confirmed cases, the state has epidemiologic
data showing that 15 of 16 confirmed illnesses (out of a total
of 21 confirmed cases) purchased their ground beef product at
Safeway Stores. Point of purchase information is not available
on the other Colorado cases. At this time, it is not known
whether the product was distributed to other stores.
Because these products were repackaged into
consumer-sized packages and sold under different retail brand
names, consumers should check with their local retailer to
determine whether they may have purchased any of the products
subject to recall.
As part of its investigation into an outbreak of
Salmonella Newport associated with ground beef products, the
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment notified
the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service of the situation.
Epidemiologic and traceback investigations determined there is
an association between the fresh ground beef products and
illnesses reported in Colorado.
The illnesses also were linked through the
epidemiologic investigation by their uncommon pulsed-field gel
electrophoresis (PFGE) pattern found in PulseNet, a national
network of public health and food regulatory agency laboratories
coordinated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Daniel Rifkin, wholesale food program manager
with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment,
advises consumers to check their freezers for any recalled
product and discard it because of the potential to contaminate
hands or the kitchen with the meat. The product also can be
returned to place of purchase.
Eating food contaminated with Salmonella can
result in abdominal cramping, diarrhea and fever. Most people
infected with Salmonella develop symptoms 12 to 72 hours after
infection. The illness usually lasts four to seven days. Most
people recover without treatment. However, anyone experiencing
symptoms such as severe diarrhea should contact a physician. In
some individuals, diarrhea may be so severe that the patient
needs to be hospitalized. In rare circumstances, infection with
Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the
bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses.
The very young, the elderly and people with weak
immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness;
however, anyone can be infected with Salmonella.
Consumers with food safety questions also can
contact "Ask Karen," the Food Safety and Inspection Service
virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov.
The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline
(1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be
reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through
Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a
day.
Consumers with questions about the recall can
contact the Beef Packers, Inc. Consumer Line at 877-872-3635.
Media with questions should contact company director of
communications Rebecca Hayne at 316-291-2126. For more
information about food safety, also call the Colorado Department
of Public Health and Environment’s Consumer Protection Division
at 303-692-3620.
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State of Colorado,
Department
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