Massive 100 Thousand Pound Frozen Beef Recall

Following the a case of E. coli discovered in three Napa children after eating hamburgers at two Little League concession stand, Richwood Meat Co. recalled about 100,000 pounds of frozen beef, produced between April and May 2006. The beef was distributed in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Arizona. The hamburger patties and other ground beef products recalled are sold under a variety of brands: Fireriver, Chef`s Pride, Ritz Food, Blackwood Farms, California Pacific Associates, C&C Distributing, Golbon and Richwood.

According to Karen Smith, Napa County`s health officer, the food poisoning was reported April 3 and 4, after the three children caught E. coli after eating hamburgers at the St. Helena and Calistoga Little League fields. Theresa Richmond, a spokeswoman for the Napa County Health and Human Services Division, said that there where two other cases suspect of E. coli contamination, which are currently being investigated. They both had symptoms consistent with E. coli infections. All the children have recovered completely. Richmond warned that the meat shouldn`t be consumed under any circumstances. "It doesn`t matter if you cook it to a cinder," she said. "It has to be considered unsafe. Throw it away." Consumers are advised to destroy any recalled products they have or return them to the place of purchase.

Steve Wood, the vice president of Richwood Meat, said E. coli had been identified by health authorities, in the recalled patties. "We haven`t received confirmation yet that the strain (of bacterium) in the meat was the same strain identified from the children`s tests," he said. The bacterium isolated from the Napa incidents was E. coli 0157:H7.

                                 

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