Beef Recall in Two States, Concern Over Salmonella

Washington, DCMore than 20,000 pounds of beef produced at a facility owned by Cargill Inc. have been recalled because of potential salmonella poisoning.

Two Arizona residents have been sickened with Salmonella Newport, a strain of the bacteria that is highly resistant to most common drugs. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service said that this could increase the risk of ineffective treatment or hospitalization.

The beef, weighing in at 22,723 pounds, was produced on September 23 by Beef Packers Inc., a Fresno-based facility owned by food giant Cargill. The product was repackaged at a distribution facility in Arizona and put out to market under a host of different brand names. The USDA did not identify the brands.

The repackaging of the meat only makes it harder to track, although the USDA says that labels on the affected beef include the establishment number '31913.'

According to CNN yesterday the products were sold in Arizona and New Mexico.

A spokesperson for Cargill says the company is cooperating with the government. "We take these matters seriously which is why we have initiated the recall and have cooperated with the government," the spokesperson said in an e-mail to CNN.

The USDA recommended that consumers in Arizona and New Mexico check their stores of food and freezers, or check with the retailers from whom they purchased their meat, to determine if they purchased the recalled beef.

The most common symptoms of salmonellosis—the bacterial foodborne illness caused by the salmonella infection—are diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever. Additional symptoms may be chills, headache, nausea and vomiting that can last up to seven days.