Beef Packers Inc. is recalling more ground beef, again because of possible Salmonella contamination.
In August, Beef Packers recalled 825,769 pounds of frozen ground beef products that were tied to 39 cases of Salmonella Newport in 11 states. The latest Beef Packers’ ground beef recall was prompted by two more cases of the same illness.
According to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the products subject to this recall include:
- 60 pound cases of “GRD Beef Fine 93/07 10/60.” Each case bears the identifying case code W69363 with Use/Freeze by dates of 10/11/09.
The recalled ground beef products were produced on September 23, 2009 and bear the establishment number “EST. 31913″ printed on the case code labels. They were distributed to a retail distribution center in Arizona. Because these products were repackaged into consumer-size packages and sold under different retail brand names, FSIS says consumers should check with their local retailer to determine whether they may have purchased any of the products subject to recall. More than 22,000 lbs of ground beef is being recalled at this time.
Consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses. Salmonella infections can be life-threatening, especially to those with weak immune systems, such as infants, the elderly, and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy. The most common manifestations of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within eight to 72 hours. Additional symptoms may be chills, headache, nausea and vomiting that can last up to seven days.
According to the FSIS, the particular strain of Salmonella Newport involved in both Beef Packers’ recalls, as well as the multistate outbreak, is resistant to many commonly prescribed drugs, which can increase the risk of hospitalization or possible treatment failure in infected individuals.
