Recalled Beef in California Could be Two Years Old

Montebello, CAEven as Congress wrestles with health care reform, there continues to be an ongoing problem with the nation's food supply. Concern over the potential for E. coli has prompted a beef recall that could affect over three-quarters of a million pounds of ground beef.

According to a story published yesterday in the Associated Press (AP), the affected beef was sold to distribution centers, restaurants and hotels in California between January 5 and 15 of this year.

The recall also encompasses beef products sold between February 19 and May 15 of 2008.

The Department of Agriculture's Food Safety Inspection Service conducted a review of the Huntington Meat Packing Inc., based in Montebello, which revealed that beef products produced and shipped nearly two years ago might have also been contaminated in the same fashion as the more recent products. There remains the potential that the products were frozen and could still be in circulation in some establishments.

The affected ground beef products were sold and distributed under the Huntington Imperial Meat Co. and El Rancho brands. Food safety personnel reportedly discovered the issue with the potentially tainted beef during a food safety assessment.

A complete accounting of products can be found here.

According to the AP, the 864,000 pounds of potentially contaminated beef was confined to the state of California. Food Safety Inspection officials noted that there are no reported outbreaks of illness thought to be caused by the potential contamination.

E. coli originates in the intestines of beef cattle and, from there, passes into meat destined for the consumer market. Normally, optimum cooking time and temperatures can eradicate E. coli from contaminated meat. Most healthy individuals will recover from the effects of E. coli illness after several days of intense discomfort, but E. coli can prove deadly for young children, older adults and those with compromised health.