National Steak E. coli Recall Update

The number of people identified as infected by E. coli O157:H7 in beef products manufactured by National Steak and Poultry, Owasso, OK, has risen to 21 people in 16 states, according to The Washington Post.

The level of recalled meat248,000 pounds of blade steak (tenderized prior to further processingremains the same at this time. The products may have been commingled with E. coli-contaminated beef used by the plant for chopped steak.

USDAs FSIS has released a partial list of restaurants that received the recalled beef, including two chains, Moe's and Carino's Italian Grill, located mainly in the West and Midwest.

National Steak and Poultry released a statement on its website: We take the safety and wholesomeness of our products very seriously and that's why we are working with the USDA to conduct this recall. This is the first recall in our company's nearly 30-year history. Given our long history of focusing on product safety and our standards of excellence, we will error on the side of being cautious with this recall.

The Post notes this outbreak is at least the fourth associated with mechanically tenderized beef since 2000. This is something that's been coming along. It's not an overnight problem, says Carol L. Tucker-Foreman of Consumer Federation of America, in the article. The USDA has been looking at this for a long time.

Because the mechanical tenderization process can introduce bacteria into the center of meat products that are often cooked rare, consumer advocates and legislators are calling for labeling of these products.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut released a statement that says: The USDA should move immediately to require labeling that clearly identifies mechanically tenderized beef and pork products for all processing facilities, retailers and consumers. Restaurants, grocery stores, and consumers should be made fully aware of the products they are receiving so they can assure that they are cooked at the appropriate temperature.

But James H. Hodges, executive vice president of the American Meat Institute, disagreed with the labeling proposal, saying in a statement: Because blade-tenderized steaks have been found to be comparable in safety, we don't believe that special labeling declaring the mechanical tenderization process will provide meaningful or actionable information to consumers.