IBP Recalls Ground
Beef Over E. Coli

OMAHA, Neb. —(AP)— Tests on meat sent by IBP to a distributor confirmed the presence of E. coli bacteria and a voluntary recall of 556,226 pounds of beef was merited, federal officials said last Friday.

IBP officials voluntarily recalled all ground beef it produced Oct. 22 at its Dakota City plant, saying it could have contained the deadly strain of bacteria. U.S. Department of Agriculture official Jesse Majkowski said further tests on the meat from the same distributor showed the presence of E. coli 0157:H7.

That means any part of the Oct. 22 production could have been contaminated, and distributors should return the meat, Majkowski said.

USDA will conduct 15 days of additional testing for E. coli beginning next week at the Dakota City plant in the wake of the recall, spokeswoman Linda Swacina said.

Most of IBP's product, shipped to 33 states, was coded for retailers to trace but would not have brand names or product codes for consumers to check, IBP spokesman Gary Mickelson said. However, about seven percent — 37,360 pounds — went directly to consumers, sold in generic retail tubes labeled "Ground Beef (20 percent fat)" or "Ground Beef (27 percent fat)" with the product code: EST 245C SELL/FREEZE BY NOV 09 B.

Concerned consumers should call the outlet where they bought the meat to determine if it was under the recall, Mickelson said.

If cooked properly, E. coli poses no danger. But complications associated with the bacteria can lead to kidney failure, severe anemia, clotting problems and, in some cases, coma and death.

The meat was sold to 71 distributors, including restaurants, but Mickelson declined to specify them. IBP officials believe most of the meat already has been consumed. No illnesses have been reported.

All of the meat recalled was fine and coarsely ground beef, sold in vacuum-packaged tubes. Mickelson said the plant tests its products daily and there was no indication of possible meat contamination on that date. But he said testing is not a catch-all.

States where the beef was packaged for retail distribution are Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Utah. Other affected states are California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.