E. coli Prompts Fresh Ground Beef Recall

WASHINGTONThe USDAs Food Safety and Inspection Service announced that Fairbank Farms, an Ashville, N.Y., firm, is recalling approximately 545,699 pounds of fresh ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

Working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state health and agriculture departments, FSIS determined there is an association between the fresh ground beef products subject to recall and illnesses in Connecticut, Maine and Massachusetts.

The recall involves fresh ground beef sold under the following labels: Trader Joes, Price Chopper, Lancaster and Wild Harvest, Shaw's, BJ's, Ford Brothers and Giant. Each package bears the establishment number "EST. 492" inside the USDA mark of inspection or on the nutrition label. The products were packaged Sept.15-16, 2009, and may have been labeled at the retail stores with a sell-by date from Sept. 19-28, 2009.

The recall also involves cases of 10-pound "FAIRBANK FARMS FRESH GROUND BEEF CHUBS." The products were distributed to retail establishments in Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia for further processing.

Click here to view a copy of the complete recall.