Beef Supplier Remains Unidentified in Topps Recall
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 10/19/2007 - 2:01pm.
MICHELLE KUNJAPPU
Reporter
Topps Meat Company and USDA have not been releasing information about the original source of the beef in a recent major recall.
The beef recall that began Sept. 25 and expanded on Sept. 29 caused Topps Meat Company, LLC, to close its doors, said the Elizabeth, N.J.-based company earlier this month.
Topps voluntarily recalled a total of approximately 21.7 million pounds of frozen ground beef products because they may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, said USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
Where the meat came from, or which country it came from, remains a question, since neither the USDA nor Topps Meat Company has come forth with the information, and neither organization returned Lancaster Farming’s phone call by press time.
Topps Meat Company was the largest U.S. manufacturer of frozen hamburgers, according to Anthony D’Urso, chief operating officer. The privately-held company, which employed 87 people, was founded in 1940 and was a manufacturer and supplier of branded frozen hamburgers and other meats for supermarkets and mass merchandisers, according to a statement issued by the company.
R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America) wants to know why USDA refuses to reveal the source of the contaminated meat, according to Shae Dodson, communications coordinator for the Montana-based organization.
“Consumers deserve this information so they can make the appropriate choices for their families. We all deserve the right to know whether this recalled beef was imported or not,” she said.
According to Dodson, the recall emphasizes the need for country-of-origin labeling (COOL) to help ensure food safety.
“The fact is that food safety varies depending on where the food is produced because production standards differ from country to country,” she said. “The U.S. once required foreign meatpacking plants to meet standards identical to U.S. standards, but to facilitate imports into the U.S. this standard was relaxed in the ‘90s to allow beef imports into the U.S. provided the importing country maintained equivalent standards, which could well be different than standards in the United States.
“If this contaminated beef is of U.S. origin, that tells us that USDA needs to step up its prevention measures right here at home.”
The loss of one of the Northeast’s largest processing facilities has not made a difference at Cargill Meat Solutions, Wyalusing, according to Cargill. The plant’s 1,100 employees process 1,900 head of cattle per day, turning out 200 million pounds of ground beef annually.
“We haven’t seen any impact on our business whatsoever,” said Drew Wilkins, cattle procurement manager at Cargill Meat Solutions.
The beef slaughter facility did not supply Topps. “We’re waiting to see, too, who the supplier (to Topps) is,” said Wilkins.
“As far as how we were buying cattle this week, there were no effects whatsoever. It’s been a steady market within a penny or two.”
Although the grinding beef market remains steady, the top end steer market, however, may have been affected, as prices dipped last week.
According to the Center for Disease Control, (CDC), as of Oct. 9, 35 cases had E. coli infections matching the strain found in the Topps patties.
Ill persons reside in seven northeastern states and also Florida. The first reported illness began on July 5 and the last began on Sept. 23, 2007, said CDC.
Among 24 ill persons for whom hospitalization status is known, fifteen were hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. Topps is facing at least two lawsuits filed since the recall.
Find list of recalled products at www.toppsmeat.com.
According to USDA, ground beef patties should be cooked to a safe temperature of 160 degrees, as measured by an accurate meat thermometer.
When a ground beef patty is cooked to 160 degrees throughout, it can be safe and juicy, regardless of color, since, says USDA, color is not a reliable indicator that ground beef patties have been cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria such as E. coli.
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 10/19/2007 - 2:01pm.
MICHELLE KUNJAPPU
Reporter
Topps Meat Company and USDA have not been releasing information about the original source of the beef in a recent major recall.
The beef recall that began Sept. 25 and expanded on Sept. 29 caused Topps Meat Company, LLC, to close its doors, said the Elizabeth, N.J.-based company earlier this month.
Topps voluntarily recalled a total of approximately 21.7 million pounds of frozen ground beef products because they may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, said USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
Where the meat came from, or which country it came from, remains a question, since neither the USDA nor Topps Meat Company has come forth with the information, and neither organization returned Lancaster Farming’s phone call by press time.
Topps Meat Company was the largest U.S. manufacturer of frozen hamburgers, according to Anthony D’Urso, chief operating officer. The privately-held company, which employed 87 people, was founded in 1940 and was a manufacturer and supplier of branded frozen hamburgers and other meats for supermarkets and mass merchandisers, according to a statement issued by the company.
R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America) wants to know why USDA refuses to reveal the source of the contaminated meat, according to Shae Dodson, communications coordinator for the Montana-based organization.
“Consumers deserve this information so they can make the appropriate choices for their families. We all deserve the right to know whether this recalled beef was imported or not,” she said.
According to Dodson, the recall emphasizes the need for country-of-origin labeling (COOL) to help ensure food safety.
“The fact is that food safety varies depending on where the food is produced because production standards differ from country to country,” she said. “The U.S. once required foreign meatpacking plants to meet standards identical to U.S. standards, but to facilitate imports into the U.S. this standard was relaxed in the ‘90s to allow beef imports into the U.S. provided the importing country maintained equivalent standards, which could well be different than standards in the United States.
“If this contaminated beef is of U.S. origin, that tells us that USDA needs to step up its prevention measures right here at home.”
The loss of one of the Northeast’s largest processing facilities has not made a difference at Cargill Meat Solutions, Wyalusing, according to Cargill. The plant’s 1,100 employees process 1,900 head of cattle per day, turning out 200 million pounds of ground beef annually.
“We haven’t seen any impact on our business whatsoever,” said Drew Wilkins, cattle procurement manager at Cargill Meat Solutions.
The beef slaughter facility did not supply Topps. “We’re waiting to see, too, who the supplier (to Topps) is,” said Wilkins.
“As far as how we were buying cattle this week, there were no effects whatsoever. It’s been a steady market within a penny or two.”
Although the grinding beef market remains steady, the top end steer market, however, may have been affected, as prices dipped last week.
According to the Center for Disease Control, (CDC), as of Oct. 9, 35 cases had E. coli infections matching the strain found in the Topps patties.
Ill persons reside in seven northeastern states and also Florida. The first reported illness began on July 5 and the last began on Sept. 23, 2007, said CDC.
Among 24 ill persons for whom hospitalization status is known, fifteen were hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. Topps is facing at least two lawsuits filed since the recall.
Find list of recalled products at www.toppsmeat.com.
According to USDA, ground beef patties should be cooked to a safe temperature of 160 degrees, as measured by an accurate meat thermometer.
When a ground beef patty is cooked to 160 degrees throughout, it can be safe and juicy, regardless of color, since, says USDA, color is not a reliable indicator that ground beef patties have been cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria such as E. coli.