Higa Meat & Pork Market in Honolulu, Hawaii is recalling about 4,100 pounds of ground beef that may be contaminated with E. coli 0157:H7. The product tested positive for the bacteria and was shipped before the company received test results. There have been no reports of illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.
They are recalling 10 pound bags of “HIGA MARKET-GROUND BEEF BULK” with 1 to 6 bags per carton/case. Each case has the establishment number “EST. 12457M” inside the USDA mark of inspection and the identifying case code number “291″. The products were made on October 17, 2012 and distributed to restaurants in the Oahu, Hawaii area.
For questions, call the company’s Vice President, Sheldon Wright, at 808-531-3591. Go to the USDA’s web page to learn tips for safe handling of raw meat, fish, and poultry.
Linda Larsen has written 28 cook books. She worked for the Pillsbury company in their test kitchens and for the Pillsbury Bake-Off. She holds a degree with High Distinction in Food Science from the University of Minnesota.
Fred Pritzker is a food safety advocate and attorney. He represents people sickened by contaminated food.
Which restaurants on Oahu received the suspected bad beef??
We don’t know. Because the product was not distributed for retail sales, the USDA has not released a retail distribution list, as they usually do for recalls. All you can do is call the restaurant where you ate and ask them. If you have gotten sick and ate ground beef at an Oahu restaurant, see your doctor and tell her about it; she can do tests for E. coli.