021025 A&P Responds to Latest EMMPAK Recall

Montvale, NJ - The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, Inc. asked customers to return fresh ground beef products purchased in its stores with sell-by dates ranging from September 27 through October 10.

The action followed a new recall this week by its supplier, Peck Meat Packers, a division of Emmpak Foods, Inc. Peck issued the recall after a sample of its product tested positive for E. coli 0157:H7, said Richard De Santa, Vice President of Corporate Affairs for A&P.

A&P's action is directed to customers of Company-operated stores under the following banners: A&P (in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut); Waldbaum's (in New York); The Food Emporium (in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut); Super Fresh (in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia); Farmer Jack (in Michigan and Ohio); Kohl's (in Wisconsin) and Sav-A-Center (in Lousiana and Mississippi). The recall applies to packages of ground meat labeled as ground beef, ground hamburger, ground chuck, ground sirloin, ground round, lean ground beef, hamburger patties and meat loaf, all packaged under the store banner labels listed above, or under the Company's Master Choice label.

"We are asking our customers who purchased ground beef products purchased in our stores with sell-by dates from September 27 through October 10 to return them to the stores for a full refund," De Santa said. "Although no samples from our stores have tested positive, and there have been no reported illnesses in connection with the products recalled, we want to make every effort to safeguard our customers," he said.

On September 27, Peck Meat Packing announced a voluntary recall after public health officials from the USDA and the state of Minnesota identified food-borne illness associated with an E. coli 0157:H7 outbreak in that state. The product involved in this week's new action was produced in the same plant, but is not connected with the September 27 recall.

In addition to recalling the products and removing remaining supplies from its warehouses and stores, A&P again reminded consumers to maintain safe food handling practices, including proper refrigeration and/or freezing, using a thermometer to ensure that ground beef is fully cooked to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, and washing hands whenever preparing or otherwise handling any meat product.

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