June 29, 2009

JBS Swift Beef Co., a Greeley, Colo., establishment is voluntarily expanding its June 24 recall to include approximately 380,000 pounds of assorted beef primal products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the US Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Sunday (June 28).

Together with traceback information and laboratory data, the recall is being expanded as a result of FSIS' cooperation with the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in an ongoing investigation into 24 illnesses in multiple states, of which at least 18 appear to be associated. This investigation prompted the company to re-examine the effectiveness of their food safety system for the April 21 production of beef primals, and they are conducting this recall out of an abundance of caution as the safety of the products produced on a portion of that day could not be assured.

The beef products were produced on April 21, and were distributed both nationally and internationally.

The recalled products include intact cuts of beef, such as primals, sub-primals, or boxed beef typically used for steaks and roasts rather than ground beef. FSIS is aware that some of these products may have been further processed into ground products by other companies.

The highest risk products for consumers are raw ground product, trim or other non-intact product made from the products subject to the recall. E. coli O157:H7 H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhoea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. The very young, seniors and persons with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness.