Whole Foods recalls ground beef on apparent E. coli contamination 

A beef shipment from Nebraska Foods may have caused Whole Foods to issue a voluntary recall of the fresh ground beef it has sold between June 2 and August 6, 2008 in 25 states and Canada.

 

The news comes after Nebraska Beef announced it has recalled about 1.2 million pounds of beef that may be similarly contaminated.

 

Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods Market announced Friday (August 8, 2008) the beef it sold may be contaminated with E. coli 0157:H7 bacteria as it came from Nebraska Beef. 

 

Illnesses have been linked to Whole Foods beef products purchased at Whole Foods stores in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.

 

Whole Foods Market said the beef in question apparently came from Coleman Natural Beef and was processed at Nebraska Beef Ltd.

 

USDA said on Friday that Nebraska Beef's recalled products were branded "Coleman Natural" and were sent to establishments and retail stores nationwide for further processing.

 

In July, Nebraska beef recalled some 5.3 million pounds of ground beef.

 

At the time of the previous recall, Whole Foods Market received assurances from Coleman Natural Beef that no product delivered to Whole Foods Market was linked to the recall.

 

Whole Foods Market is now actively investigating the issue, Whole Foods said in a news release.

 

Massachusetts health authorities are warning consumers not to eat ground beef bought from Whole Foods Markets over the last two months after seven infections have been linked to meat bought there.