Another food recall, this time of ground beef, has once again brought food-borne illness into the spotlight. The recall applies to approximately 8,500 pounds of ground beef produced by the Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation, and sold at BJ’s Wholesale Club locations in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia. The beef was recalled because of possible e. Coli contamination.

The USDA has released a list of the BJ’s locations involved in the recall. If you have recently purchased beef at a BJ’s Wholesale Club location check the recall list to see if your store is involved.

Daniele may have initiated its massive recall of 1.24 million pounds of salami too late. As word of the recall reached the public last week, many people sickened by salmonella are now able to identify the source of the dangerous bacteria. According to KGW of Portland, Oregon, the contamination of Daniele’s salami has resulted in 184 cases of salmonella poisoning nationwide. The retailer where the contaminated salami was most often purchased is Costco. Due to salami’s long shelf life, the contaminated products have been present in food retail stores across the country for many months. The first cases of salmonellosis occurred in the summer of 2009. The contamination hadn’t been discovered until a few weeks ago during the investigation of another salmonella outbreak. The strain of salmonella discovered in the sample of Daniele salami was found to be different than the strain for which officials were initially testing. Once the new strain of salmonella was discovered, investigators immediately contacted Daniele and began a nationwide recall of all salami products. The source of the bacteria is still under investigation; however, officials believe it to be the ground black pepper used to season the salami products and not the salami meat itself. Daniele spokesman Jason Maloni told the Associated Press, “there’s no evidence that points to us” as the source of the bacteria. Two of the three Daniele plants have been tested and are free of salmonella. All recalled salami products contain a USDA inspection label with the establishment numbers “EST. 9992” and “EST. 54.” Purchasers of salami with the aforementioned establishment numbers are being instructed to return the product for a full refund. Contact a health provider immediately if you or a loved one have consumed this product. Daniele Foods has set up a hot line for consumers or distributors at (888) 345-4160.

A Rhode Island company is recalling 1,240,000 pounds of its ready to eat products due to a risk of salmonella.  The recall pertains to Daniele’s varieties of ready-to-eat (RTE) Italian sausage products; specifically its salame/salami products that have been prepared with black pepper. The United State’s Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) first became aware of the salmonella contamination during its investigation of another multi-state outbreak of salmonella, the Salmonella serotype Montevideo illnesses. While testing a sample retail product as part of its investigation into the source of the Montevideo illnesses, the FSIS found that the sample Daniele RTE product contained salmonella. While the two salmonella strains were found to be similar, they are not the same strain and, therefore, not part of the same salmonella outbreak. Upon the discovery of the salmonella contamination, the FSIS contacted the company, which decided on a voluntary recall of all products at risk. The FSIS announced the recall and identified it as a Class I Recall with a high health risk. Currently, the source is yet to be identified for both outbreaks, but Daniele believes that the black pepper is to blame for the contamination of Daniele salamis. According to the press release, Daniele is cooperating with FSIS in the investigation and hopes to identify the source of the contamination soon. All recalled packages contain an establishment number “EST. 9992” or “EST. 54” inside the USDA mark of inspection. Ingesting food contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonellosis. Salmonellosis can be a life-threatening infection, especially to young, elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. The most common symptoms of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within eight to 72 hours after ingestion. If you believe you have been sickened by Salmonella, make sure to save any remnants of the suspected foods and contact a health care provider immediately. The full recall list is as follows:

• 10-ounce packages of “DANIELE NATURALE SALAME COATED WITH COARSE BLACK PEPPER.”
• Catch weight packages of “DANIELE PEPPER SALAME.”
• 9-ounce packages of “BLACK BEAR OF THE BLACK FOREST BABY GENOA PEPPER SALAME.”
• 20-ounce packages of “DANIELE DELI SELECTION, GENOA SALAME, SMOKED SALAME, PEPPERED SALAME, RUSTIC SALAME.”
• 340- and 454-gram packages of “DANIELE SURTIDO FINO ITALIANO, SALAMI GENOA CON PIMIENTA, LOMO CAPOCOLLO, SALAMI CALABRESE.”
• 16-ounce packages of “DANIELE ITALIAN BRAND GOURMET PACK, HOT CALABRESE, PEPPER SALAME, HOT CAPOCOLLO.”
• 8-ounce packages of “DIETZ & WATSON ARTISAN COLLECTION PARTY PLATTER PACK, HOT CALABRESE, PEPPER SALAME, HOT CAPOCOLLO.”
• 8-ounce packages of “DANIELE ITALIAN BRAND GOURMET PACK, HOT CALABRESE, PEPPER SALAME, HOT CAPOCOLLO.”
• 16-ounce packages of “DANIELE GOURMET COMBO PACK, PEPPER SALAME, CAPOCOLLO, CALABRESE.”
• 500-gram packages of “DANIELE ITALIAN BRAND GOURMET PACK EMBALLAGE ASSORTI GOURMET ITALIEN, HOT CALABRESE, PEPPER SALAME, CALABRESE PIQUANT, SALAMI AU POIVRE, HOT CAPOCOLLO, CAPOCOLLO PIQUANT.”
• 8-ounce packages of “BOAR’S HEAD BRAND ALL NATURAL SALAME COATED WITH COARSE BLACK PEPPER.”
• Catch weight packages of “DIETZ & WATSON ARTISAN COLLECTION, BABY GENOA PEPPER SALAME, MADE WITH 100% PORK COATED WITH BLACK PEPPER AND PORK FAT.”
• 20-ounce variety packages of “DANIELE DELI SELECTION, GENOA SALAME, SWEET SOPRESSATA, PEPPERED GENOA, MILANO SALAME.”
• 21-ounce variety packages of “DANIELE GOURMET ITALIAN DELI SELECTION, SWEET SOPRESSATA SALAMI, PEPPERED GENOA SALAMI, HOT SOPRESSATA SALAMI, MILANO SALAMI, SALAMI SOPRESSATA DOUX, SALAMI GENOA POIVRÉ, SALAMI SOPRESSATA PIQUANT, SALAMI MILANO.”
• 7-ounce packages of “DANIELE SALAME BITES PEPPER SALAME.”
• 14-ounce packages of “DANIELE GOURMET ITALIAN DELI SELECTION ASSORTMENT DE FINES CHARCUTERIE ITALIENNE, SWEET SOPRESSATA SALAMI, MILANO SALAMI, SALAMI SOPRESSATA DOUX, SALAMI MILANO.”
• Catch weight packages of “DANIELE NATURALE SALAME COATED WITH COARSE BLACK PEPPER.”
• 32-ounce variety packages of “DANIELE DELI SELECTION, GENOA SALAME, SWEET SOPRESSATA, PEPPERED GENOA, MILANO SALAME.”

The USDA announced yesterday that 864,000 pounds of beef products are being recalled by a Montibello, California manufacturer after the discovery of potential e. Coli contamination.  Media reports indicate that the company, Huntington Meat Packing, discovered the problem during a routine safety check.  The products are reported to have been shipped between January 5th and 15th of this year, and February 19 and May 15th of 2008.  So far there have been no reports of illnesses, but officials have directed consumers to check for establishment code EST. 17967 on the products’ USDA label.

On December 24^th, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the United States Department of Agriculture issued a Class I (the highest level) recall for beef produced by National Steak and Poultry, an Owasso, Oklahoma based company.  The recall pertains to 240,000 pounds of beef products that have been contaminated with O157:H7, the deadly strain of E. coli. The USDA became aware of the contamination after the non-intact steaks were associated with E. coli illnesses in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, South Dakota, and Washington. The packages containing the affected products have been shipped to restaurants nationwide and bear labels with the establishment number “EST. 6010T” inside the USDA mark of inspection, a case code listed below, and packaging dates of “10/12/2009,” “10/13/2009,” “10/14/2009,” or “10/21/2009.” Common symptoms of E. coli poisoning include bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and kidney failure. It is recommended to make sure that all beef products are cooked to 160°F to ensure that all bacteria have been eliminated. If you suspect that you or a loved one have been poisoned, do not discard any left-over beef product. Instead, immediately contact a physician and an attorney.

The products subject to recall include:

• 4-ounce “NATIONAL STEAK AND POULTRY BONELESS BEEF SIRLOIN STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “SC68408.”
• 6-ounce “NATIONAL STEAK AND POULTRY BONELESS BEEF SIRLOIN STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “SP680608.”
• 8-ounce “NATIONAL STEAK AND POULTRY BONELESS BEEF SIRLOIN STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “SC68808”
• 9-ounce “NATIONAL STEAK AND POULTRY BONELESS BEEF SIRLOIN STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “SC68908.”
• “NATIONAL STEAK AND POULTRY BONELESS BEEF TIPS,” with an identifying case code of “69108.”
• “NATIONAL STEAK AND POULTRY BONELESS BEEF SIRLOIN STEAK” with an identifying case code of “XXSP68008.”
• “NATIONAL STEAK AND POULTRY SAVORY SIRLOIN TIPS” with an identifying case code of “XX69008.”
• 5-ounce “NATIONAL STEAK AND POULTRY BACON WRAPPED BEEF FILLET,” with an identifying case code of “23508.”
• “NATIONAL STEAK AND POULTRY USDA SELECT BEEF SHOULDER MARINATED TENDER MEDALLIONS” with an identifying case code of “23289.”
• “NATIONAL STEAK AND POULTRY 75% BONELESS BEEF TRIMMINGS,” with an identifying case code of “33575.”
• “NATIONAL STEAK AND POULTRY BEEF TRIMMINGS,” with an identifying case code of “36545.”
• “NATIONAL STEAK AND POULTRY BEEF SIRLOIN PHILLY STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “88008.”
• 4-ounce “EGN BONELESS BEEF SIRLOIN STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “680425.”
• 7-ounce “EGN BONELESS BEEF SIRLOIN TRI TIP STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “69725.”
• 9-ounce “EGN BONELESS BEEF SIRLOIN TRI TIP STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “680925.”
• 7-ounce “KRM BONELESS BEEF SIRLOIN STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “680715.”
• 9-ounce “KRM BONELESS BEEF SIRLOIN STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “680915.”
• 12-ounce “KRM BONELESS BEEF SIRLOIN STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “680215.”
• 8-ounce “CARINO’S BONELESS BEEF OUTSIDE SKIRT STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “130874.”
• “CARINO’S BONELESS BEEF OUTSIDE SKIRT STEAK PIECES,” with an identifying case code of “13074.”
• “MOE’S BEEF STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “78027.”

Diners in the Nebraska area should be cautious of ordering meals that contain ground beef. The USDA’s Food Safety & Inspection Service (FSIS) recalled 90 pounds of fresh ground beef on November 17^th, 2009 due to a test sampling that tested positive for the food-borne pathogen E. coli. The ground beef originated from Fairbury Steaks, Inc., a meat company located in Fairbury, Nebraska. The products that subject to the recall are 10 lb. packages of “Bulk Fresh Ground Beef” distributed to a Ruskin, Nebraska restaurant. The packages were produced on November 16^th, 2009 and contained in boxes marked with the establishment number “EST. 5726,” which can be found stamped instead the USDA mark of inspection. The contamination of E. coli O157:H7 was discovered after a routine microbiological test done on a sample from the product.  So far no illness have been reported. E. coli O157:H7 is a powerful and dangerous bacteria that can cause abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, dehydration, kidney failure, and, in worst cases, death. Children, seniors, and those with immunocompromised conditions are most at risk. Since the bacteria cannot survive temperatures in excess of 160°F, it is always important to confirm that ground beef has fully reached this temperature by using a thermometer, and to always request that ground beef is cooked well-done when ordering out.  If you feel you have contracted E. coli poisoning, always remember to keep a diary of what you ate in the past several days and save any unused portions of suspect foods for microbiological testing.

A New York State meat supplier has been linked to an outbreak of E. coli that has killed two and sickened dozens and prompted a wide-reaching recall. Fairbank Farms, an Asheville, NY meat processing firm announced a recall on October 31st of more than half a million pounds of ground beef.

The beef is suspected of being contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, a particularly deadly strain of E. coli bacteria commonly to blame for food-borne illnesses. According to the CDC, the bacterium can cause stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea, and vomiting. Symptoms usually last from five to seven days, and though symptoms are often mild, illness associated with E. coli can be life-threatening in certain cases.

Two individuals, one from Upstate New York and another from New Hampshire, are believed to have died as a result of the tainted beef processed at Fairbank Farms. So far, 28 others are known to have become ill after consuming beef from the same batch, though estimates have ranged as high as 500 illnesses.

The recall, which comes only days after an unrelated E. coli outbreak sickened 20 at a Rhode Island camp, has raised concerns about the practices of American beef suppliers. The New York Times reported yesterday that Fairbank Farms’ parent company, AFA Foods, drastically relaxed their testing procedures in recent years under pressure from slaughterhouses.

Slaughterhouses have pushed back against meat processing facilities’ efforts to test for E. coli because of the potential for widespread recalls. Much of their discomfort over testing during the processing phase is rooted in the fact that beef in a processing plant may come from numerous slaughterhouses, meaning that a recall could affect all of a processor’s suppliers, not just the source of contamination.

While many producers utilize some form of testing for E. coli 0157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture does not require processors to test their beef, resulting in differing standards across the country. Food safety advocates have called for greater accountability in food production, and Congress has taken up the issue, with legislation passed this summer in the House of Representatives.
Fairbank Farms has announced that the beef in question was processed between September 14 and September 16 of this year. By now, Fairbank Farms says that the beef has passed its expiration date, meaning it is unlikely to be on supermarket shelves at this time. But the Department of Health and Human Services remains concerned that consumers still may have some of the product in their freezers.

The packaging for all of the contaminated beef is marked “EST 492,” a label stamp identifying Fairbank Farms as the processor. The tainted beef is known to have been shipped to Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Consumers should visit Fairbank Farms’ website for more details on the recall.

The Culebra Meat Market has recalled three cuts of beef it distributed in the San Antonio area due to a possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination. The recalled beef cuts are beef stew meat, carne asada, and ground beef produced between October 2nd and October 17th, 2009. The Culebra Meat Market distributed the three cuts of beef directly to area restaurants and to consumers through its retail market. The retail meat was distributed in a variety if weights and packaging, however, the wholesale beef sold to restaurants were distributed in 10 pound boxes with lot codes 100209 through 101709. The also carry the inspection label “TEXAS INSP. & PSD. 740″ located inside a state of Texas logo. The E. coli bacteria was discovered to be present in the meat after samples tested positive during routine testing. Luckily so far, no illness have been reported in connection with this recall. E. coli can bring about devastating symptoms which include vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pains. In children, the elderly, and those who are immunocompromised, E. coli can be a deadly bacteria. It is always recommended to buy your meat from reputable distributors and to always cook ground beef thoroughly to a minimum temperature of 160ºF.