Beef Recalled Due to E. coli Risk

JBS Swift Beef Company Recalls About 41,280 Pounds of Beef Products

By Miranda Hitti
WebMD Health News

Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD

June 25, 2009 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says that about 41,280 pounds of beef products are being recalled by JBS Swift Beef Company of Greeley, Colo. because they may be contaminated with E. coli 0157:H7.

E. coli bacteria can cause abdominal cramping, vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea (which may be bloody). Most healthy people recover within a week, but serious complications can arise and are most common in young children, older people, and people with weak immune systems.

The USDA's web site lists the recalled beef products, which were produced on April 21 and April 22, 2009 and were shipped to distributors and retailers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, and Wisconsin.

The USDA notes that its Food and Safety Inspection Service detected the problem through microbiological sampling and an investigation into the distribution of other products.

A spokesperson for JBS Swift Beef Company wasn't immediately available for comment.

SOURCES: News release, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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