Washington - Costco Wholesale Corp. has recalled frozen ground beef patties from 24 states after a New York woman became sick from deadly E.coli bacteria, the US Agriculture Department said.
The USDA tested Costco beef from the same batch eaten by the woman and found traces of E.coli 0157:H7 bacteria, which can cause bloody diarrhea and kidney failure, and is especially dangerous for the elderly, small children and people with compromised immune systems.
Approximately 172,000 pounds of beef -- a drop in the bucket for most meat processing plants -- is subject to the voluntary recall by Costco.
"Our primary concern is to protect our members and if any of this meat remains in a consumer's freezer, we urge you to return it for a full refund," the Issaquah, Wash.-based company said in a statement.
The New York grandmother had served the beef to her grandchildren early this month but was the only one who became sick. She was hospitalized but is feeling better and is back at home, USDA spokeswoman Jacque Knight said.
Knight said the department is especially concerned that the beef may end up on US barbecues this weekend when Americans celebrate Fourth of July.
"There's a holiday weekend coming up, people could be using frozen packages of meat at their cookouts," Knight said. "Every consumer should look if they have frozen patties in their freezers."
Illnesses linked to E.coli bacteria made headlines earlier this month after more than a dozen children became infected with the same deadly strain involved in the Costco case after playing at a recreational water park in Georgia.
Another 4,000 people in the Chicago area became sick after eating potato salad tainted with another, less dangerous strain of E.coli.
The beef recalled by Costco was distributed in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.
However, Knight said Costco shoppers from all states should check their freezers to be safe.
The recalled beef includes six-pound packages of Kirkland Signature Ground Sirloin and Loin of Beef Patties, item 18508, in a box of 18 individual 1/3-pound frozen patties, and Kirkland Signature Ground Beef Patties, item 18498, in a box of 24 individual 1/4-pound frozen patties.
Customers should return boxes of grilled sirloin dated "04/07/98" or "04/06/98." The recalled ground beef patties are dated "04/07/98," USDA said.
The Costco recall was tiny compared to last summer's record 25 million-pound ground beef recall by Hudson Foods Co., which also discovered E.coli 0157:H7 in its beef.
Federal health officials have estimated that 10,000 to 20,000 cases of E.coli 0157:H7 infections occur in the United States every year. Most of the illnesses have been associated with eating undercooked, contaminated ground beef.
Agriculture Department officials urge cooks to make sure all beef is cooked thoroughly to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. The USDA advises the use of a meat thermometer to test to make sure the beef is safe for eating.
Meat Industry Insights News Service
P.O. Box 553
Northport, NY 11768
Phone: 631-757-4010
Fax: 631-757-4060
E-mail: sflanagan@sprintmail.com
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