Posted October 6th, 2007 @ 11:00 pm by David Shearer

U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today (Oct 6) that Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation is voluntarily recalling approximately 845,000 pounds of frozen ground beef patties produced at its Butler, Wis., location because they may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. (NEWS RELEASE DETAILS)

The following are some of the labels of the potentially contaminated meats.

Retail product above (click for larger image)	Restaurant products
(click for more labels)

The Minnesota Departments of Health and Agriculture is investigating three illness which are associated with the products. The action includes products sold to retail consumers as well to restaurants and institutions.

Similar to the September recall by a New Jersey meat packing firm (LINK), USDA indicated that this is a Class I Recall: as a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.

Details of the USDA News release are at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_042_2007_Release/index.asp

If you have questions on USDA recalls and for food safety, please check the following

• USDA Food Safety Website at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fsis_Recalls/or
• NMED News website at http://www.nmenv.state.nm.us/index2.htm

Information on Preparing Ground Beef for Safe Consumption is available from the

• USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHOTLINE or
• visit http://www.fsis.usda.gov

Recalls by the US Food and Drug Administration (canned & packaged food products) are on the FDA RSS feed

• PRODUCT RECALLS at http://web.nmsu.edu/~ehs/safetynews/?p=155

For specific concerns on health and food safety

• call N.M.E.D. at 505-222-9500 (Albuquerque) & 505-524-6300 (Las Cruces).