CALIFORNIA GROUND BEEF RECALLED

Let's hope you haven't been eating undercooked hamburgers or chili or meat tacos at a California or Nevada restaurant lately. The restaurant just may have received some E. coli O157:H7-contaminated ground beef products from Commercial Meat Company of Los Angeles, California.

The USDA/FSIS announced today that their testing had turned up this dangerous bacteria in the eat. Nearly 400,000 of ground beef products are being recalled by the company. They were supposed to hold the beef until the test results came in, and now they are paying the price for rushing. Just about all of it went in bulk cases to California and Nevada restaurants - as far as we know, that is.

By the way, the recalled burger meat, taco filling and chili products subject were produced between Sept. 7, 2011 and Oct. 6, 2011, which means..yes, that probably most of it has already been eaten. Notifications are being sent out anyway.

If the meat was cooked to 160° F that should have killed any of the harmful bacteria. But I really wonder how many restaurants use food thermometers to measure the internal temperature of your burger or taco filling.

Eating home is safer.

To your good health,
TSF

GROUND BEEF RECALL IS EXPANDED

This is another case of "I told you so." The U.S. ground beef recall, due to contamination with E.coli 0157:H7 bacteria, has been expanded. (Read yesterday's post). Now more products are being recalled by the Michigan-based McNees Meats.

Here's the latest list of products:

1 and 10-lb. clear packages of “McNees Ground Beef Bulk.”
1 to1.5-lb., approximate weight clear plastic bags of “McNees Ground beef patties.”
1-lb. packages of “McNees Ground Round.”
1 and 2-lb packages of “McNees Ground Beef Bulk” sold in red and white plastic bags.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture doesn't know yet exactly where they were sold but says it will post the information on its website when it has it. If you are concerned, check: www.fsis.usda.gov/FSIS_Recalls
/Open_Federal_Cases/index.asp. Remember, it could take anywhere between 2 to 10 days for symptoms of E.coli to start occurring.

And cook all meat well, especially any ground meat.

To your good health,
TSF

E.COLI 0157:H7 CAUSES GROUND BEEF RECALL

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been busy tracking down contaminants in food. And its efforts are paying off. Mind you, a little late, but at least eventually.

For the last three months or so, it was chasing the cause of the Salmonella illnesses that were occurring nationwide in the U.S. After much effort, the USDA finally fingered the ground turkey produced by one of America's giant meat firms as the culprit (see previous posts).

Now, working together with the Michigan Departments of Community Health (MDCH) and Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), it has tracked down the cause of the E. coli O157:H7 illnesses that have been occurring in Michigan since July.

This time another ground meat product is involved - ground beef (ground products are always more risky). It was produced by McNees Meats and Wholesale LLC., a North Branch, Michigan. The company is recalling only about 360 pounds of ground beef product at this time (but this could expand). As far as is known at present, this product was only distributed in Michigan (If I find out differently, I'll add to this). Since these were large 10lb bags, presumably they were sold to food service establishments.

E.coli 0157:H7 can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. Seniors and persons with weak immune systems, as well as children, are the most at risk.

To your good health,

TSF

THE LATEST GROUND BEEF RECALL

Well, here's another U.S. ground beef recall because of E.coli 0157:H7 contamination. This is the fourth ground beef recall this year, not counting mislabelling or allergen issues, and it won't be the last. A note of sarcasm: the fact that most of the products sold were "natural" did not help at all (If you have read the book, you'll know what I think of the "natural" label the way it is currently used).

These potentially contaminated ground beef products were produced a couple of weeks ago by Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, of Arkansas City, Kansas and sold as cases of large 10lb chubs to firms in Ariz., Calif., Ga., Ind., Iowa, Mo., N.C., Ohio, Pa. and Wash. for further processing and/or distribution. This, of course, makes it worse. It means that the ground beef was most likely repackaged and is being sold to us consumers in smaller packages under who-knows-what label.

The USDA (which regulates meat in the US) says it will let us know once it finds out (Read..when all those firms that received the product get over their panic attacks and put out their own recalls). Great..In the meantime, maybe we should just not eat ground beef of any kind unless we are sure that it was ground on the premises of the store from whole meat.

For the record, here's the list of what is being recalled, although it won't do you much good to look for these huge cases or chubs in your local store:

--Approx. 40-pound cases of "BEEF FINE GRIND 81/19 NATURAL," containing 10-pound chubs. These products have an identifying product code of "80185."
--Approx. 40-pound cases of "BEEF CHUCK FINE GRIND 81/19 NATURAL," containing 10-pound chubs. These products have an identifying product code of "80285."
--Approx. 40-pound cases of "BEEF SIRLOIN FINE GRIND 91/9 NATURAL," containing 10-pound chubs. These products have an identifying product code of "80495."
--Approx. 40-pound cases of "BEEF FINE GRIND 90/10 NATURAL," containing 5-pound chubs. These products have an identifying product code of "85165."
--Approx. 60-pound cases of "BEEF FINE GROUND 93/7," containing 10-pound chubs. These products have an identifying product code of "86191."

The best way to be safe is still to cook your ground meat very well - and be careful when handling it too.

TSF

HOW TO SAFELY PREPARE GROUND BEEF

In my previous blog I stuck out my neck by saying that in my view the USDA is doing a better job of educating consumers about eating safely than the FDA. Well, today's ground beef recall notice from the USDA (see Alerts) bears out my point. The USDA has included a consumer education box along with the recall information. This is the first case I have noticed. I am passing it on, since I don't think many people read those recall notices. Of course, it's all just common sense, but it doesn't hurt to remind ourselves from time to time.

By the way, this recall was for bulk ground meat products that had been sent to restaurants all over southern California. Studies have shown that it is not unusual for restaurant workers to break these rules.

PREPARING GROUND BEEF FOR SAFE CONSUMPTION

Wash hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat and poultry. Wash cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot, soapy water. Immediately clean spills.

Keep raw meat, fish and poultry away from other food that will not be cooked. Use separate cutting boards for raw meat, poultry and egg products and cooked foods.

Consumers should only eat ground beef or ground beef patties that have been cooked to a safe internal temperature of 160° F.

Color is NOT a reliable indicator that ground beef or ground beef patties have been cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7.

The only way to be sure ground beef is cooked to a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria is to use a thermometer to measure the internal temperature.

Refrigerate raw meat and poultry within two hours after purchase or one hour if temperatures exceed 90° F. Refrigerate cooked meat and poultry within two hours after cooking.

TSF