Health Law

2,880,000 pounds of beef and sausage recalled since November 2009

By Drew Falkenstein

Counting Friday's sausage recall by Daniele International, Inc., food companies have recalled at least 2,880,000 pounds of meat products since November 2009 due to contamination by E. coli or Salmonella. 

Friday's recall:  (from FSIS press release)

Daniele International Inc., an establishment with operations in Pascoag and Mapleville, R.I., is recalling approximately 1,240,000 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) varieties of Italian sausage products, including salami/salame, in commerce and potentially available to customers in retail locations because they may be contaminated with Salmonella, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The Daniele Inc. sausage outbreak, due to contamination by Salmonella Montevideo, has caused at least 184 illnesses in residents of 38 states. 

On January 18, 2010, the USDA's food inspection branch (FSIS) announced the recall of 846,000 pounds of ground beef products produced by a California company called Huntington Meat Packing, Inc., due to potential contamination by E. coli O157:H7.

On January 11, 2010, Adams Farm Slaughterhouse, LLC., an Athol, Mass., establishment, recalled approximately 2,574 pounds of beef products that was potentially contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.  The beef was the cause of infection in at least one Massachusetts resident. 

On December 24, 2009 (The Christmas Eve sneak), an Oklahoma company called National Steak and Poultry recalled 248,000 pounds of tenderized beef products due to contamination by E. coli O157:H7.  The outbreak is known to have sickened at least 21 people in 16 states.  Last week, Marler Clark filed the first lawsuit arising from the outbreak on behalf of a Utah resident.

And in November 2009, A New York company called Fairbank Farms recalled 545,699 pounds of ground beef due to E. coli O157:H7 contamination. The outbreak caused resulted in 26 E. coli O157:H7 illnesses, nineteen hospitalizations, and five who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). 

Full post as published by Food Poison Blog on January 24, 2010 (boomark / email).