Cargill Recalls Ground Beef After E.Coli Illnesses

Updated: Saturday, 28 Aug 2010, 2:58 PM MDT
Published : Saturday, 28 Aug 2010, 2:58 PM MDT

(NewsCore) - Food and agriculture giant Cargill recalled 8,500 pounds (3,855 kg) of ground beef after company officials concluded that outbreaks of E. coli-related illnesses in Maine and New York are related to the products, the U.S. Agriculture Department said Saturday.

The meat in question was produced on June 11 and shipped earlier this summer to eight BJ's Wholesale locations up and down the East Coast, the USDA said.

The USDA's food safety and inspection unit became aware of the issue August 5 after it was told by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources of a cluster of E. coli illnesses.

Two affected people have so far been identified in Maine and one in New York, the USDA said. They became sick in June and July.

The packages subject to recall have "EST. 9400" printed on their USDA marks of inspection and an identifying product code of "W69032."

The meat had been repackaged into consumer-size packages and sold under different retail brand names, the USDA said.

E. coli is a bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure.

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