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Recall of frozen hamburger patties doubles
40,000 pounds -- 160,000 patties -- have E. coli
August 14, 1997
Web posted at: 8:33 p.m. EDT (0033 GMT)WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Hudson Foods, Inc. has doubled to 40,000 pounds the amount of ground beef it is recalling for possible E. coli contamination.
Jacque Knight, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, said federal officials are going over records at the Columbus, Nebraska, plant where the meat was produced and that the recall could grow even more.
On Tuesday, Hudson recalled 20,000 pounds -- 80,000 frozen hamburger patties -- after 16 Colorado consumers became sick from grilled burgers linked to E. coli contamination. Five of those stricken required hospitalization.
Thursday's recall raises the total to 40,000 pounds, or 160,000 patties. All of the tainted meat is believed to have been produced at Hudson's plant in Columbus.
"When these recalls start, and as records are continually checked, they find and locate more," Knight said. "We're continuing to check records so it could be more."
Jeff Beckman, a spokesman for Boston Chicken, Inc., in Boulder, Colorado, told CNN that, although the company received meat from the second 20,000 pound batch that Hudson Foods recalled, a review of their records revealed that no E.coli was present.
"No product being recalled is in any of our stores," he said.
Beckman said Boston Chicken -- which operates restaurants called Boston Market -- voluntarily performs four random sample tests for the bacteria. He also said it had "reviewed all consumer call notes, and received no reports of illness," on its 800 telephone number.
Burger King recalls meat in Midwest
Kim Miller, a spokeswoman for the Burger King chain in Miami, Florida, said her company has voluntarily recalled meat ground in the Columbus plant from 1,205 of its restaurants in Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota and Colorado.
The strain of E. coli suspected of contaminating the beef can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration, and in some, life-threatening kidney failure.
Consumers become ill by eating infected meat that has not been fully cooked, or by handling raw meat and failing to wash their hands. E. coli contamination occurs when the intestinal tract or feces of slaughtered animals is mixed into the meat.
Knight said about half the suspect frozen hamburger patties went to fast-food chains and half was distributed to retail and wholesale stores.
USDA sets up hotline
Hudson Foods is recalling three products:
- 48-ounce packages of "Hudson Beef Burgers, Individually Quick Frozen" with the code "156A7"
- Three-pound packages of "Hudson 100% Pure Beef Patties, Individually Frozen" with the code "156B7"
- 15-pound boxes of "Hudson 60 - 1/4 lb. Beef Patties Uncooked, Individually Quick Frozen" with the code "155B7"
- The Agriculture Department has set up a hotline at 1-800-535-4555 for consumers to call with questions about the beef recall.
- Consumer News - Fitness and Health - Warnings
- Consumer News - Fitness and Health - Safety
- Consumer News - Food - Meat
Related stories:
- Beef recalled for possible E.coli contamination - August 12, 1997
- USDA: Take burger's temperature to prevent E. coli - June 10, 1997
- Study: Browned ground beef no safeguard against E. coli - May 19, 1997
- Scientists wonder where E. coli lurks - October 17, 1995
Related sites:
Note: Pages will open in a new browser window
- USDA's Home Page
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Home Page
- Safe Tables Our Priority (STOP) - a non-profit organization devoted to victim assistance, public education, and policy advocacy for safe food and public health
- FDA Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition
- The E. coli Index
- E. Coli Primer
- Welcome To Jack In The Box
- Food Safety - statement from Dave Theno, Vice President, Quality Assurance, Product Safety.
- E. coli Information Page
External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.
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