Boneless Beef Recall: 14,000 lbs. May Have E. Coli Contamination

About 14,000 pounds of boneless beef products distributed by West Missouri Beef, LLC have been recalled due to the possibility of E. coli food poisoning.

The boneless beef recall was announced on Tuesday by the US. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) after FSIS inspectors found evidence of E. coli O157:H7 contamination at the company’s facility. The meat was distributed by the Rockville, Missouri, company to wholesalers in the Chicago area. There have been no reported illnesses connected to the contaminated beef.

E. coli O157:H7 bacteria is one of the more common causes of food poisoning in the United States. When left untreated, it can lead to dehydration and potentially life-threatening illness. While most healthy adults recover from food poisoning caused by E. coli within a few weeks, young children and the elderly could be at risk for more severe illness. If the toxin enters the blood stream, E. coli could also lead to kidney failure known as Hemolytic-Urenia Syndrome (HUS).

The recall affects 14,000 pounds of boneless beef processed between October 26, 2009 and January 13, 2010. Products affected by the recall include combo bins of 2,000 pounds of boneless beef. The bins are marked:

• 75 1-M, produced October 26, 2009
• 90 3-D, produced November 25, 2009
• 90 5-D, produced November 27, 2009
• 90 2-P, produced December 8, 2009
• 90 2-R, produced December 8, 2009
• 90 2-V, produced December 8, 2009
• 90 3-E, produced January 13, 2010

Each container is marked with an establishment number of “EST. 5821” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

Anyone with questions should contact the company at (660 )598-2045.

The CDC reports that there are about 76 million cases of food-related illnesses reported every year, with more than 300,000 people hospitalized and 5,000 deaths. There were at least nine major recalls of beef products in 2009.