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Cargill......Building Beef Demand

Mike

Well-known member
E.Coli Surfaces Again, This Time In Cargill Meat's Beef
by Jyoti Pal - October 10, 2007 - 0 comments

Citing possible fears of E.Coli contamination, Cargill Meat Solutions on Monday voluntarily announced recall of over 800,000 pounds of frozen ground beef patties produced at its plant in Butler, Wisconsin.

The recall follows four cases of illness that surfaced in Minnesota. Sample investigation conducted by the Minnesota Department of Health and Minnesota Department of Agriculture in alliance with Cargill’s investigation and a food safety assessment unfolded the possible contamination.

Preliminary analysis indicated contamination with the E. coli strain in American Chef’s Selection of Angus Frozen Ground Beef Patties sold at Sam’s Clubs across the nation.

The products subject to the recall were produced on August 9, 10, 15, 16 and 17, 2007, and were distributed nationwide. Each package bears the establishment number “Est. 924A” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

“While the investigation is ongoing, Cargill is voluntarily recalling the products based on a preliminary analysis of epidemiological data,” Mark Klein, spokesman for Cargill Meat Solutions said.

Meanwhile, company officials urged people to destroy or return the affected products bearing the stated products codes to the point of purchase. “We are concerned that some consumers may still have the product sold at retail in their freezers,” said Bill Rupp, president of Cargill Meat Solutions.

About E.Coli:

First discovered in 1982, Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that causes serious infection which leads to kidney failure and hemolytic uremic syndrome.

Known to release a deadly toxin that causes the disease, common symptoms include bloody diarrhea and dehydration. Though the infection typically resolves itself in 5 to 10 days, complications arise in infants, seniors and persons with hampered immune systems.

E.Coli is contagious. The infection transmits easily through unhygienic conditions and personal habits. Ground beef, bean sprouts and leafy vegetables are the easy source of infection.

About Cargill:

The largest U.S. agricultural company, Cargill's business activities range from purchasing, processing, and distributing agricultural commodities to processed foods and pharmaceuticals. The company also operates an arm in Financial & Risk Management.

Founded in 1865, Cargill is headquartered in Minnesota in the United States. The company ranks among the Top 20 in the Fortune 500 list.
 

PORKER

Well-known member
ConAgra FINALLY recalls pot pies
By ANNA JO BRATTON
OMAHA, Neb.

ConAgra Foods Inc. recalled all its Banquet pot pies and store brand varieties Thursday after the products were linked to nationwide salmonella outbreak.

The company included beef pot pies in the recall after initially saying only the chicken and turkey pot pies should not be eaten.

ConAgra issued a consumer alert Tuesday and asked stores nationwide to stop selling the poultry pot pies, but the company stopped short of a recall until Thursday evening.

ConAgra spokeswoman Stephanie Childs said the decision to recall the pies wasn't based on new information, but an abundance of caution.

"We want to make sure there's no confusion with consumers, that these pot pies shouldn't be eaten," Childs said.

She said she knew of no indication of a link between cases of salmonella and the beef pot pies, but the company wanted to be careful as it collects information.

The pot pies made by ConAgra have been linked to at least 165 cases of salmonella in 31 states. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said at least 30 people have been hospitalized as part of the ongoing outbreak, but so far no deaths have been linked to the pot pies.

The company and federal officials warned customers not to eat the pot pies and to throw them away, and ConAgra is offering refunds for all the pies, which have the identifying code "P-9" on the side of the box above the use-by date. The store brand versions are sold under the names of Albertson's, Hill Country Fare, Food Lion, Great Value (sold at Wal-Mart stores), Kirkwood, Kroger, Meijer and Western Family.

ConAgra officials have said some of the illnesses may be linked to undercooked pot pies, but Childs said the pot pies should not be eaten even if consumers think they have cooked them correctly. The company is revising the cooking directions on its pot pie packages to clarify how long the pies should be cooked in different microwaves.

Amanda Eamich, a spokeswoman for the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service, said three investigators are at the ConAgra plant looking for problems with a specific product or production date. ConAgra's recall is voluntary, and Eamich said without a specific connection, a recall wouldn't be ordered.

ConAgra shut down the pot pie production line at its Marshall, Mo., plant, but the rest of the plant, which employs about 650 people, has continued operating, Childs said Wednesday.

Salmonella sickens about 40,000 people a year in the U.S. and kills about 600. Most of the deaths are among people with weaker immune systems such as the elderly or very young.

Salmonella poisoning can cause diarrhea, fever, dehydration, abdominal pain and vomiting. Most cases are caused by undercooked eggs and chicken.

A Minnesota couple sued ConAgra Foods Inc. Thursday for selling the pot pies they believe made their young daughter ill with salmonella. The federal suit, filed in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, seeks damages of more than $75,000 and reimbursement for medical costs.
 
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