Adams Farm Slaughterhouse, LLC, an Athol, Mass., establishment, recalled beef, veal, and Bison products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The recall was prompted by an outbreak of E. coli infections in 4 states: Connecticut (2), Massachusetts (3), Pennsylvania (1) and West Virginia (1). The recalled beef products, sold raw by Adams Farm Slaughterhouse, originated from animals slaughtered on July 15, 25, and 27, 2016 and August 3, 8, 10, 11, 17, 24 and 26, 2016, and further processed and packed on various dates between July 21, and September 22, 2016. These products bear establishment number EST. 5497 inside the USDA mark of inspection and have lot numbers: 120361, 121061, 121761, 121861, 122161, 122261, 122361, 122461, 122861, 123061, 123161, 123261, 123561, 123661, … [Read more...]
Western Meat Recalls 15 Months of Ground Beef for E.coli
Western Meat Co. of Tucson is recalling ground beef sold between January 1, 2014 and April 30, 2015 due to a possible E. coli 0157:H7 health risk. The recall affects 5 and 10 pound packages only. No illnesses had been reported at the time of the recall, but customers who have these products in their freezers should not use them as E. coli O157:H7 can cause severe illness. The recalled products were sold to limited customers in the Tucson area who will be reimbursed by the company for any packages they have that are included in the recall. … [Read more...]
2014 Ground Beef E. coli Outbreak was Linked to Whole Foods
An 8-year-old Massachusetts boy died within two weeks of eating a hamburger during an E. coli outbreak last summer that state and federal health authorities associated with grass-fed ground beef the family purchased from Whole Foods Market in South Weymouth, Mass. Two other people were sickened in the outbreak, which was first disclosed in a hamburger E. coli recall notice published by the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The recall also covered ground beef sold at Whole Foods Market in Newton, Mass. A Whole Foods ground beef E. coli lawsuit was filed by the boys' parents. They have gone public with their concerns about food safety to prevent other families from having to endure a similar loss. They met in person with federal Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to … [Read more...]
Toledo Was a Hub in the 2014 Wolverine Beef E. coli Outbreak
Toledo E. coli cases from Wolverine ground beef accounted for more than half of Ohio's confirmed illnesses in the 2014 outbreak that also hit Michigan and other states. The Toledo-Lucas County Health Department confirmed three cases, including two people who ate at the same restaurant. The local health agency investigated a fourth instance of E. coli infection at the time of the outbreak, but it was determined not to be associated with the particular outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 that was making other people sick. In all, Ohio recorded five illnesses traced to ground beef from Detroit's Wolverine Packing Company, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said. The Toledo case patients were ages 19, 23 and 42 and at least two of them were hospitalized. Two of the three … [Read more...]
Wolverine Ground Beef E. coli Outbreak Sickened 12 in 2014
An E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to ground beef produced by Wolverine Packing Company in 2014 sickened 12 people in 4 states. Ground beef can be contaminated with pathogenic bacteria since STEC bacteria like E. coli are on the surface of beef cuts. When those cuts are ground, the bacteria is mixed throughout the product. And when that ground beef is made into burgers and not thoroughly cooked, people get sick. The case count by state is: Massachusetts (1), Michigan (5), Missouri (1), and Ohio (5). Fifty eight percent of ill persons were hospitalized. No one developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and no deaths were reported. Illness dates ranged from April 22, 2014 to May 2, 2014. The patient age range was from 16 to 46 years, with a median age of 25 years. Public health … [Read more...]
2014 Hamburger E. coli Outbreak Traced to Wolverine Packing
When 92 percent of E. coli O157:H7 outbreak patients in May 2014 told health investigators they had previously eaten a hamburger at a restaurant, it wasn't long before USDA food safety officials and the CDC traced the cluster of dangerous illnesses in Michigan and Ohio to ground beef production at Detroit's Wolverine Packing Company. On May 19, 2014, Wolverine Packing recalled 1.8 million pounds of ground beef that had been shipped to distributors, mostly for use in restaurants nationwide. By then, the E. coli outbreak had sickened a total of 12 individuals infected with the outbreak strains of E. coli O157:H7, including five people from Michigan and five from Ohio. Massachusetts and Missouri also were touched by the outbreak. Two victims suffered kidney failure and life-threatening … [Read more...]
Reason Number #356 to Avoid Rare Burgers: E. coli Outbreak
Many people love rare hamburgers, but unfortunately that love can be harmful. Ground beef is made of trimmings and whole beef cuts that are ground together. Bacteria present on the surface of the whole beef cuts is mixed throughout the product during this process. That means that there could, and most likely will be, pathogenic bacteria in every bite of an undercooked burger. The E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to recalled Wolverine Packing Company ground beef sickened 12 people in 4 states last year. Fifty-eight percent of those sickened were hospitalized. Investigations by public health officials found that ground beef produced by the Wolverine facility was the likely source of the outbreak strain of bacteria. Hidden in the report, however, is that 73% of the 11 patients … [Read more...]
NAMA Conference Presents Trends in Beef and Food Poisoning
The North American Meat Association (NAMA) held its Pathogen Control and Regulatory Compliance in Beef Processing conference last week, and reported on the foodborne disease outbreaks that are attributed to meat. Meatingplace.com says that Hannah Gould of the CDC's National Outbreak Reporting System reported on the data. According to the data, about 9% of foodborne illness outbreaks in the U.S. are attributed to beef; 9% to chicken; and 7% to pork. Between 2009 and 2013, of the illnesses linked to beef, 35% involved E. coli O157:H7 and 23% were caused by Salmonella. And between 2003 and 2012, 55% of all E. coli outbreaks attributed to food were associated with beef consumption. Of those outbreaks, 69% were from ground beef, 14% from steaks and 17% from other beef products. This … [Read more...]
E. coli Illnesses Prompt Whole Foods Ground Beef Recall in Massachusetts
Three E.coli illnesses in Massachusetts have prompted a recall of ground beef products sold at Whole Foods stores in South Weymouth and Newton, Massachusetts. Three people who ate ground beef purchased from these stores developed E. coli O157:H7 infections between June 13 and June 25. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service is working with the Massachusetts Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on an investigation of the illnesses. A recall has been issued for 368 pounds of ground beef products produced in June and sold at the stores. Health officials are concerned that some people may have the recalled products in their freezers. Consumers who have any of the products listed below should not eat them as E.coli can … [Read more...]
