Beef Products Recalled Over E. coli Contamination

WASHINGTONPFP Enterprises, a Fort Worth, Texas, firm, is recalling approximately 15,865 pounds of beef products because they may be contaminated with up to six different non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) strains, USDAs Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The recalled beef products, which were distributed to retail stores and restaurants in Arizona, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico and Texas, may contain E. coli O103, E. coli O111, E. coli O121, E. coli O145, E. coli O26 and E. coli O45.

The recall involves 10.5-pound boxes of Beef Outside Skirt Steak, with a pack date of 12/13/13"; 20-pound boxes of Studio Movie Grill Beef Tenderloin Sliced, with a pack date of 12/05/13"; 15-pound boxes of Preseasoned Beef for Fajita, with a use by date of 1/13/14"; 40-pound boxes of Southwest Style Beef Skirts, with a pack date of 12/5/13"; 20-pound boxes of Patterson Food Processors Beef Skirt Seasoned, with a pack date of 12/9/13"; 10-pound boxes of Preseasoned Beef for Fajitas, with a pack date of 12/9/2013"; 40-pound boxes of Preseasoned Beef for Fajitas w/Binder, with a pack date of 12/9/2013"; 12-pound boxes of Seasoned Beef for Fajitas, containing six 2-pound packs, with a use by date of 1/15/14"; and 12-pound boxes of Mexican Style Beef for Fajita, containing six 2-pound packs, with a use by date of 1/11/14". All products bear the establishment number Est. 34715" inside the USDA mark of inspection.

FSIS became aware of the problem during a Food Safety Assessment when it discovered beef trim tested presumptive positive for multiple non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) strains through the companys testing program. The company inadvertently did not carry the test out to confirmation, and not all affected product was held.