At least 38 E. coli cases in last few months tied to red meat - nearly 500,000 pounds of meat recalled
Where is the USDA and Congressional investigation? Why do we only investigate when pets are sickened?
75,000 pounds of ground beef has been recalled due to contamination with E. coli O157:H7. According to California Health officials, the beef tainted with a deadly strain of E. coli has sickened a dozen people in five states and Canada, including three in California and two in Colorado. United Food Group, LLC, of Vernon, California has recalled its Moran ground beef products. The products have been recalled from Supervalu-owned Albertsons stores in California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming, and from Save-A-Lot stores in Arizona, California and Nevada and products which were distributed at Grocery Outlet, Fry's, Save-Mart, Smart and Final, Smith's and Stater Bros., stores in several states.
E. coli Outbreak in Fresno County – fifteen sickened
The Fresno County Health Department said there are now eleven confirmed cases of E. coli in Fresno County. On Thursday, May 31st, investigators are still looking for the source of the bacteria. The Health Department has inspected the “Meat Market” in Northwest Fresno. Meat from the company may have been served at several private parties where some guests later became sick. On Tuesday May 29th, five people were confirmed to have the potentially deadly bacteria. Three more cases were confirmed on Wednesday and another three on Thursday. All of the victims had attended one of three private parties that were all serviced by the same caterer.
Kalamazoo company recalls 129,000 pounds of beef – two sickened
Davis Creek Meats and Seafood in Kalamazoo is voluntarily recalling approximately 129,000 pounds of beef products due to the possible contamination of E. coli. The problem was discovered after two people in the Kalamazoo area became sickened with symptoms related to the bacteria. The beef products were produced between March 1 and April 30, and were shipped to food service distribution centers and marketplace stores in Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
E. coli O157:H7 cases linked to ground beef purchased at Lunds or Byerly’s stores since mid-April – 117,500 pounds of beef shipped to eight states - seven sickened
Minnesota Department of Health and Agriculture officials are investigating seven cases of E. coli O157:H7 infection in Minnesota residents associated with eating ground beef purchased from Lunds or Byerly’s stores since mid-April. Routine monitoring by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) found that the cases of illness were all caused by E. coli O157:H7 with the same DNA fingerprint. All of the cases had purchased the ground beef from one of four Lunds or Byerly’s stores in the west metro area since April 12. The people became ill between April 21 and 28 after consuming the meat. The cases include two children and five adults. Three of the cases were hospitalized, but all have been discharged.
E. coli scare changes menu at St. Helena Little League shack – 100,000 pounds of frozen ground beef patties - three sickened
Following reports early last month of E. coli infection in three Napa Valley children — who got sick from hamburger patties sold at a St. Helena Little League snack shack — Little League baseball spectators in St. Helena will no longer be able to buy a burger during game time. Gamble said the three confirmed reports of E. coli were in children between the ages of 8 and 12. The meat that sickened the children came from a Napa business, the Salami Lady’s Cash & Carry. Jan Dalluge, who has owned the business for five years, said she acquired the product from Richwood Meat Company of Merced.
California Company recalls 75,000 pounds of beef - twelve sickened
75,000 pounds of ground beef has been recalled due to contamination with E. coli O157:H7. According to California Health officials, the beef tainted with a deadly strain of E. coli has sickened a dozen people in five states and Canada, including three in California and two in Colorado. United Food Group, LLC, of Vernon, California has recalled its Moran ground beef products. The products have been recalled from Supervalu-owned Albertsons stores in California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming, and from Save-A-Lot stores in Arizona, California and Nevada and products which were distributed at Grocery Outlet, Fry's, Save-Mart, Smart and Final, Smith's and Stater Bros., stores in several states.
E. coli Outbreak in Fresno County – fifteen sickened
The Fresno County Health Department said there are now eleven confirmed cases of E. coli in Fresno County. On Thursday, May 31st, investigators are still looking for the source of the bacteria. The Health Department has inspected the “Meat Market” in Northwest Fresno. Meat from the company may have been served at several private parties where some guests later became sick. On Tuesday May 29th, five people were confirmed to have the potentially deadly bacteria. Three more cases were confirmed on Wednesday and another three on Thursday. All of the victims had attended one of three private parties that were all serviced by the same caterer.
Kalamazoo company recalls 129,000 pounds of beef – two sickened
Davis Creek Meats and Seafood in Kalamazoo is voluntarily recalling approximately 129,000 pounds of beef products due to the possible contamination of E. coli. The problem was discovered after two people in the Kalamazoo area became sickened with symptoms related to the bacteria. The beef products were produced between March 1 and April 30, and were shipped to food service distribution centers and marketplace stores in Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
E. coli O157:H7 cases linked to ground beef purchased at Lunds or Byerly’s stores since mid-April – 117,500 pounds of beef shipped to eight states - seven sickened
Minnesota Department of Health and Agriculture officials are investigating seven cases of E. coli O157:H7 infection in Minnesota residents associated with eating ground beef purchased from Lunds or Byerly’s stores since mid-April. Routine monitoring by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) found that the cases of illness were all caused by E. coli O157:H7 with the same DNA fingerprint. All of the cases had purchased the ground beef from one of four Lunds or Byerly’s stores in the west metro area since April 12. The people became ill between April 21 and 28 after consuming the meat. The cases include two children and five adults. Three of the cases were hospitalized, but all have been discharged.
E. coli scare changes menu at St. Helena Little League shack – 100,000 pounds of frozen ground beef patties - three sickened
Following reports early last month of E. coli infection in three Napa Valley children — who got sick from hamburger patties sold at a St. Helena Little League snack shack — Little League baseball spectators in St. Helena will no longer be able to buy a burger during game time. Gamble said the three confirmed reports of E. coli were in children between the ages of 8 and 12. The meat that sickened the children came from a Napa business, the Salami Lady’s Cash & Carry. Jan Dalluge, who has owned the business for five years, said she acquired the product from Richwood Meat Company of Merced.
Comments (3)
Read through and enter the discussion by using the form at the endJohn W. Munsell - June 5, 2007 4:41 PM
The most recent E.coli recall, true to form, again occurred at a meat plant which merely further processes meat purchased from supplier slaughter plants. The Vernon CA plant does NOT slaughter! Since E.coli 0157:H7 is an enteric bacteria, that is, emanates from animals' intestines, contamination by definition occurs at the slaughter facility where beef intestines and dirty hides are in abundance.
The recall from Hoss's Fresh Xpress in South Claysburg PA also emanated from a non-slaughter plant. At the same time, another large recall was announced by Davis Creek Meats & Seafood in Kalamazoo MI, which of course is another non-slaughter facility.
The recall at Richwood Meats in Merced CA also occurred at a non-slaughter plant. This was Richwood Meats' second recall, and could very well not be their last recall as long as USDA refuses to trace back to the slaughter house origin of E.coli contamination.
The recent recalls from two retail chains in Minneapolis (Byerlys & Lunds) also shows that innocent downline further processing meat markets are frequently victimized by USDA refusal to require the TRUE SOURCE plants to implement corrective actions to prevent recurrences. Fortunately, the true source plant which supplied these two retail chains was identified via investigations performed NOT by USDA, but the Minnesota Dept of Health.
In like fashion, yesterday's recall at the Vernon CA plant was not the result of USDA's aggressive investigative work, but the result of investigations performed by Departments of Health in CA and CO, neither of whom are fearful of tracebacks to the TRUE ORIGIN.
As long as our premier public health agency (USDA/FSIS) refuses to perform tracebacks to the TRUE SOURCE of contamination, recurring recalls are virtually guaranteed, and consumers continue to be at risk.
A recall of meat potentially contaminated with E.coli occurred in 2006 from a Tulsa, OK meat plant named Fadlers. A Fadlers' representative at the time told me that USDA showed no interest in tracing back to the origin of contamination, and Fadlers (the innocent downline further processor) was required to implement corrective action to prevent recurrences. Such downline plants have zero control over the wholesomeness of meat they purchase from slaughter plants, meat which incidentally arrives at their docks in containers bearing the official USDA Mark of Inspection which states "USDA Inspected & Passed". While USDA is asleep at the wheel at the originating slaughter plants, the agency requires plants which are the DESTINATION of previously contaminated meat (not the origin) to take measures to prevent recurrences. Anyone who claims that current meat inspection policies are science based fail to reveal that they are referring to political science.
It is no coincidence that the plant which supplied meat to Fadlers in 2006 is the same plant which was recently named as the originating slaughter house supplier to the Byerly's and Lunds' retail markets in Minneapolis. But again, we must remember that the Minneapolis investigation was not performed by USDA, but the MN Dept of Health.
The culprit here is sloppy dressing procedures at the originating slaughter plant, not unsafe practices alleged against the downline meat markets which cannot detect the invisible E.coli bacteria. While tracebacks to the origin are essential for public health, USDA investigations commence and end at the downline further processing facility. More convenient for a recumbent agency which has publicly stated that its' role under the HACCP meat inspection system is "Hands Off". USDA has indeed lived up to its role........at the huge slaughter plants. It is wholly noncompliant with its announced "Hands Off" role at the downline further processing plants which are easier enforcement prey.
Compare this to the investigations which resulted from S. Korea's detection of bone-in meat imported from the US, in violation of trade protocol. An intensive and expedited investigation shows that the bone-in product emanated from Tyson & Cargill plants, but had been sold and shipped to a broker who hired a firm (AmMex) to ship orders to a variety of destinations. Someone who accumulated the meat for different destinations made a human error and mistakenly included bone-in product for the shipment to S. Korea. Should Tyson and Cargill be held accountable for the error at the broker's facility? Of course not. The point here is that when USDA and the big slaughter plants desire to perform investigative tracebacks to determine the cause of errors, those investigations can successfully be completed in expedited fashion.
Tracebacks to the origin of BSE-infected beef, Melamine-contaminated pet food and wheat gluten, animals carrying Brucellosis, tainted tooth paste ad infinitum are successfully completed even when the origins are foreign countries. It is ironic that USDA cannot trace back to the domestic origin of E.coli-contaminated meat when tracebacks are commonplace in various other venues. This is not an issue that USDA cannot accomplish tracebacks, but an issue of WILL NOT.
Someone with a brain tumor frequently benefits from aggressive treatment, sometimes including surgical removal of the tumor. Removal of the patient's big toe would not address the root cause. USDA's actions continuously remove big toes, while intentionally ignoring the source problem. Public health and meat eaters deserve better.
Lastly, there were a total of eight E.coli recalls in 2006. As of June 3 this year, we've already had seven E.coli recalls, even though we're just now entering the hot summer months during which we have traditionally experienced the highest incidence of E.coli recalls and outbreaks. Americans simply need to know that as long as USDA targets the destination of contaminated meat rather than the originating root cause of contamination, we are guaranteed continuing shipment of E.coli-contaminated meat into commerce. And, all the meat will be in containers proudly emblazoned with the official USDA Mark of Inspection which states "USDA Inspected and Passed". Passed indeed, but not inspected.
John W. Munsell
Manager, Foundation for Accountability in Regulatory Enforcement (FARE)
Miles City, MT
John W. Munsell - June 6, 2007 6:19 PM
Posted at 7:00 pm MDT Wednesday, June 6
Might we have a common link of source suppliers of E.coli-contaminated ground beef?
The USDA issued a press release this pm in which it announced an expanded recall of 370,000 lbs of meat from the Vernon CA United Foods Groups facility. This plant does not slaughter, but merely further processes meat it purchases from outside supplier source slaughter plants.
Another CA meat plant, Richwood Meats in Merced CA recently suffered their SECOND recall. Just like United Foods, Richwood does not slaughter, but is at the total mercy of the level (or lack of) wholesomeness of meat it purchases from source supplier slaughter plants. As long as USDA exclusively focuses its enforcement actions against downline further processing plants instead of at the originating slaughter establishment, multiple recurring future recalls are virtually guaranteed.
Is it possible that both CA plants share a common source slaughter plant? Has USDA considered the possibility and commenced an inquiry to determine such commonality? Unfortunately, history has shown that USDA's prematurely truncated investigations start and stop at the downline further processing plants, while aggressively avoiding tracebacks to the true origin of contamination.
Time will tell if the agency's vaunted STEPS (Systems Tracking E.coli Positive Suppliers) protocol is effectively working. STEPS allegedly creates a data base of slaughter plants which have sold meat to downline further processors which is subsequently subject to recalls. If one supplier slaughter plant's name appears on the STEPS list multiple times, a red flag is supposedly raised at FSIS which is then to investigate for a common source of contaminated meat.
I have yet to witness where STEPS research has resulted in a recall at any slaughter plant where the contaminant was INTRODUCED into the meat supply. We may observe history in the making here.
John W. Munsell
Foundation for Accountability in Regulatory Enforcement (FARE)
Miles City, MT
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