On October 26, 2009, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced that Crocetti’s Oakdale Packing Co., doing business as South Shore Meats, Inc., a Brockton, Massachusetts establishment, recalled approximately 1,039 pounds of fresh ground beef patties derived from bench trim, as well as mechanically tenderized beef cuts. The reason for the recall was possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination.

The recall was initiated after a Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) investigation revealed that a sample of Crocetti’s Oakdale Packing Co. beef had tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. After learning of the positive test result, FSIS continued to work with the Massachusetts DPH, the Rhode Island Department of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the investigation. Results of the investigation linked the contaminated meat to the illnesses of at least twenty middle school students who had eaten ground beef produced by Crocetti’s Oakdale Packing Co. The students fell ill while attending a week-long class trip to Camp Bournedale in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

The products recalled included:

• 10-pound boxes containing 40, 4-ounce packages of “Beef Sirloin Patties.”

• 7.5-pound boxes containing 12, 10-ounce packages of “Beef Teres Major Steaks Seasoned.”

• Boxes of 24, 5-ounce packages of “BEEF BUTT STEAKS, (Filet Style).”

• 9-pound boxes containing 12, 12-ounce packages of “BEEF BUTT STEAK, Center Cut, (sirloin style).”

• 9-pound boxes containing 12, 12-ounce packages of “BEEF BUTT STEAK, Center Cut, (filet style).”

• 6.75-pound boxes containing 12, 9-ounce packages of “BEEF BUTT STEAK, Center Cut, (sirloin style).”

• Boxes of 16, 10-ounce packages of “Beef Top Butt Steaks Sirloin Style.”

• Boxes of 20, 8-ounce packages of “Beef Butt Steaks Club Style.”

• Boxes of 26, 6-ounce packages of “Beef Top Butt Steaks Sirloin Style.”

• Boxes of 12, 10-ounce packages of “BEEF BUTT STEAKS, (Filet Style).”

• 6-pound boxes containing 16, 6-ounce packages of “Beef Filet Of Sirloin, Executive Cut.”

• Boxes of 12, 8-ounce packages of “BEEF BUTT STEAKS, (Filet Style).”

Each recalled box bore the establishment number “EST. 6336” inside the USDA mark of inspection and in some instances also a date code of “281.” The products were produced on October 8, 2009, and were distributed to wholesale distributors and institutions in Massachusetts.