E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (Midwest): recall

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E. COLI 0157, GROUND BEEF - USA (MIDWEST): RECALL

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A ProMED-mail post

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ProMED-mail is a program of the

International Society for Infectious Diseases

<http://www.isid.org>

 

[1]

27 Sep 2002

ProMED-mail <promed

Source: NY Times / Reuters (edited)

<http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/business/business-food-recall.html>

 

 

E. coli - tainted meat sickens 56

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters): At least 56 Midwesterners have become ill in

the

latest suspected contamination of ground beef with a potentially

deadly

strain of _Escherichia. coli_ O157 bacteria, state health officials

[report]. The outbreak in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois comes

just

days after the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), under

fire

for allegedly failing to protect the public against _E. coli_

0157:H7,

declared " war " on it and ordered all US beef plants to adopt new

safeguards.

 

The Wisconsin Division of Public Health said on Fri, 27 Sep 2002, it

alerted federal authorities about two separate _E. coli_ outbreaks

within

the state, each connected to ground beef. The USDA said it was

investigating a Wisconsin meat plant that may be the source of the

contaminated beef, but declined to identify the company or give other

details. " We have been investigating this and I think by late today

we are

going to see a recall, " said Steve Cohen, spokesman for the USDA's

Food

Safety and Inspection Service. " We are going to present the evidence

to the

plant and hope they can recall the product. " The USDA, which said it

has

investigated the outbreak for several weeks, does not have the

authority to

order a recall.

 

At latest count, symptoms among 52 people in Wisconsin, 3 in

Minnesota, and

1 in Illinois have been linked to the contamination. Officials said

19 in

Wisconsin were admitted to hospital. " The suspected vehicle for

transmission of _E. coli_ 0157:H7 in both of these outbreaks is

ground

beef, " the Wisconsin health agency said. " Heightened surveillance

continues

throughout Wisconsin and outside the state to detect additional cases

and

determine the extent of illness attributable to these outbreaks, " it

said.

 

The USDA has come under fire in recent months for not doing enough to

protect the public from contaminated meat. In the latest outbreak,

the USDA

discovered _E. coli_ 0157:H7 contamination by sampling food products

from 2

households whose members had fallen ill. Both samples tested positive

for

the bacteria and were linked to the same Wisconsin plant, USDA's

Cohen

said. USDA officials would not comment as to whether the tainted beef

was

purchased at a grocery store or restaurant.

 

The USDA's recent declaration of war on the deadly strain of _E.

coli_

called for random testing of all US meat processing plants as a

precaution.

Companies were also ordered to review their food safety measures and

adopt

stricter ones to reduce the risk of contamination. Congressional

investigators with the General Accounting Office 2 weeks ago said

USDA food

safety inspectors were not reliable in identifying or documenting

companies

that failed to meet federal standards.

 

******

[2]

27 Sep 2002

ProMED-mail <promed

Source: AP Online 27 Sep 2002 19:33 EST (edited)

 

 

Wisconsin meat company recalls ground beef

---------

MILWAUKEE (AP): A Wisconsin meat packing company said that it is

recalling

about 400 000 pounds of ground beef that may be connected to an _E.

coli_

outbreak that sickened 40 people in 3 states. Health investigators

also are

probing another _E. coli_ outbreak that sickened another 19 people in

Wisconsin. It is not known if the outbreaks are related, though

officials

believe all the people got sick after eating ground beef.

 

Officials learned of the first outbreak last month after 19 people

who went

on a rafting trip in northern Wisconsin fell ill. While investigating

the

first outbreak, officials found another of a different strain. That

outbreak hit 40 people in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota.

 

The meat company said its recall was a precaution. " The evidence

linking

this to this product is what you would call circumstantial, " said

Justin

Segel, president of Emmpack Foods and Peck Meat Packing. " We are in

the

interest of public safety, consumer safety, recalling 5 days of

production. " Last May 2002, the company recalled 471 000 pounds of

ground

beef because [of possible] contamination with _E. coli_.

 

(byline: Melissa Trujillo)

 

--

ProMED-mail

<promed

 

[see also:

E. coli O157, county fair - USA (Oregon)

20020827.5168

E. coli O157 - Japan (Tochigi)

20020812.5031

E. coli O157, campers - UK (Scotland) (02)

20020807.4985

E. coli O157, lettuce: alert (03)

20020803.4934

E. coli O157, petting zoo - New Zealand

20020724.4849

E. coli O157, summer camp - USA (Washington): alert

20020719.4807

E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate): recall (03)

20020719.4806

E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (Colorado): recall

20020712.4733

E. coli O157 - USA (New York) (04)

20020621.4562

E. coli O157 - USA (New York)

20020601.4377

2001

---

E. coli, O157, county fair - USA (Ohio)

20010923.2301

E. coli O157?, county fair - USA (Wisconsin)

20010816.1937

2000

---

E. coli, petting zoo - USA (Pennsylvania)

20001105.1929

E. coli O157, petting zoo (Washington)

20000609.0925

1999

---

E. coli, VTEC, cattle, petting zoo - Canada (Ont.) (03)

19991016.1840

E. coli, toxigenic, county fair - USA (New York)(09)

19990922.1690

E. coli, VTEC, open farm - UK (Wales)

19990627.1090]

 

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