CHICAGO - BeefAmerica Operating Co said it has initiated the recall of about 168,000 lbs of ground beef produced October 21, after a sample was found to be contaminated with E.coli O157:H7 bacteria, the company said.
BeefAmerica president Robert Norton said no illnesses related to the beef have been reported. Most of the beef remained at the distribution level and had not reached stores or other end users.
"We believe the majority of this product is at the distribution level," Norton told Reuters.
REUTERS
The recall occurs while a meat safety conference was under way in Chicago. Minnesota state epidimeologist, Michael Osterholm, who spoke Tuesday at the conference, said it is impossible to ensure meat is free from E.coli or other bacteria.
As testing procedures have improved, detection of E.coli O157:H7 and other strains of E.coli in meat have increased, Osterholm said. He said thorough cooking of meat will kill the bacteria.
"We need to make it a norm to not eat undercooked hamburger," he said.
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