Excel Corporation, announced today that it is voluntarily recalling 190,811 pounds of ground beef, ground beef patties and ground pork packaged at its Newnan, Ga., plant because of possible contamination by E. coli O157:H7.
The products were sold only at Kroger stores in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, four stores in Kentucky (Hopkinsville, Bowling Green, Madisonville and Powderly), and the Knoxville and Nashville areas of eastern Tennessee.
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The products being recalled bear the establishment number “86G” inside the USDA seal of inspection on the Kroger label. The products were offered for sale between May 23 and June 2, 2001, and carry the production code dates of 01.05.23 and 01.05.24, which are on the left side of the package label and above the safe handling instructions.
“Although none of the product would be left in the meat case at stores, some consumers may have stored it in their freezer,” said Bill Buckner, president of Excel. “We urge consumers to check their freezers to see if they have any of the potentially affected product. Excel takes its responsibility for food safety seriously, and we want to be sure none of the potentially affected product remains with the consumer.”
Consumers should return potentially affected packages only to the Kroger store from where they were purchased. No other meat products, production dates or establishment numbers are involved.
The problem was detected when health officials in Georgia contacted USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) about suspected illnesses with this product. FSIS samples tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. Although a link between the illnesses and the product has not been established at this time, Excel initiated the recall.
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By GlobalDataE. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacteria that can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration. The very young, the elderly, and persons with compromised immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness.
According to USDA, consumers should only eat ground beef patties that have been cooked to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. When a ground beef patty is cooked to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, it can be safe and juicy.
Consumers with questions about the recall may contact Kroger’s toll-free customer service number at 1-800-632-6900. Media with questions may contact Mark Klein, Excel director of communications, at 770-252-5199.
Consumers with food safety questions can phone toll-free USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-800-535-4555. The hotline can be reached from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday, and recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.
