E. Coli Cases Spark Hamburger Patty Recall

Topps Meat Co. Recalling 21.7 Million Pounds Of Ground Beef Products

(AP)  The Topps Meat Co. on Saturday expanded its recall of frozen hamburger patties that may be contaminated with the E. coli bacteria and sickened more than a dozen people in eight states.

Topps said it was recalling 21.7 million pounds of ground beef products distributed to retail grocery stores and food service institutions throughout the United States, up from the 332,000 pounds it recalled on Tuesday.

The recall represents all Topps products with either a "sell by date" or a "best if used by date" between Sept. 25 this year and Sept. 25, 2008. The Elizabeth-based company said this information is found on a package's back panel.

All recalled products also have a USDA establishment number of EST 9748, which is located on the back panel of the package or in the USDA legend, the company said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Friday it had suspended the grinding of raw products at the Topps plant after inspectors found inadequate safety measures at the Topps plant. The USDA declined to detail the inadequate safety measures.

"Because the health and safety of our consumers is our top priority, we are taking these expansive measures," said Geoffrey Livermore, Topps' operations vice president.

He said Topps has augmented its procedures with microbiologists and food safety experts.

"We sincerely regret any inconvenience and concerns this may cause our consumers," Livermore said.

The USDA said three people are confirmed as getting E. Coli from Topps products, with 22 other cases under investigation. Cases were found in Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

E. coli causes intestinal illness that generally clears up within a week for adults but can be deadly for the very young, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems. Symptoms can include severe stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea and, in extreme cases, kidney failure.

A full list of the recalled products is available at http://www.toppsmeat.com.

[memerider]

One of my family members has been deathly ill all week and can''t remember what or where he ate in the 2 days most likely to be when he picked something up. The doctor never returned our calls--guess they don''t want to out the local eatery.

[prairiefox1]

JUST LIKE MOM USED TO SAY! "EATING COW PATTIES WILL MAKE YOU SICK!"

[mswolfestock]

I quit worrying about the meat I eat when my husband started buying our beef and pork wholesale, directly from the producers. Contact your County Extension Agent for the names of local farmers. Get your neighbors and friends together and purchase a whole beef. Slaughtering, butchering, and packaging can be arranged with the farmer or through your local vocational-technical schools. Most vo-tech schools have USDA-approved meat packaging/butchering classes. Your meat is butchered by the students using USDA-approved techniques and sanitation regulations. The benefits are huge - you''ll pay much less per pound than at the grocery store for starters. Our last beef cost us $2.25 per pound, cut, wrapped, and frozen. Also, you''ll be supporting your local farmers, and that is important everywhere. And your locally-grown beef will not be loaded with hormones and antibiotics - I swear I can taste the difference. Most small family farms treat their livestock extremely well, and that makes a difference in the quality of the meat, too. You don''t have to give up eating meat - you just have to get it from somebody who cares, and that is NOT any of the big agri-businesses. Think outside the grocery store - you''ll eat better because of it.

[rstein6]

What ever happened to the mad cow disease, which if you ingest meat you acquire the creutzfeld Jacob''s
Disease.. or vCJD. This disease manufactures "pyrons" or proteins. There is no treatment for this. Yur Brain simply deteriorates you become a vegetable.

Now the meat has E.Coli, as well as the spinach sold
in supermercados. It has been reported that a great
percentage of senators and house members ingest
meat and spinach. Maybe thats why we have retardees.
passing insane legislation. Bush is already a
retardeee and I Thank God we have D. Cheney to pump
gas into his brain so he can thumk.
Our food supply is no longer reliable, since there are
no inspectors, what me worry?

WE ARE OUR OWN WORST ENEMY. Hell we don''t need no
terrorists... we can rely on our own absence of
government.
Hey maybe we ought to export our meat and vegtables
to Iraq and Iran, without firing a BULLET or attacking
IRAN. That will solve the problem.

[conserva-2009]

Since you must blog this creep everywhere, I''ll make it relevant:If Ron Paul was a burger, his dad should have used a condom''ent''

[conserva-2009]

BTW My vegan music CD doesn''t push my philosophy an onyone else--you have to decide what goes in your body. If you like the idea of making a change--of going vegan--worry not. I am 55 years old, have swum Alcatraz to SF twice in the last 4 years, and have done 4 marathons--the fables about being vegan are really silly. My Music CD will make you laugh, think and dance. Check it:
www.vegantunes.com

[sftodd]

VOTE RON PAUL 2008!
Posted by GetLoud1 at 09:56 PM : Sep 29, 2007

Doesn''t Ron eat babies for breakfast? Or am I thinking of someone else?

[conserva-2009]

GROSS! If you think you could go vegan, try my music CD--the only 100% vegan inspired music CD out there--you will smile, learn, and tap your foot!

www.vegantunes.com

[shanev137]

FDA = Fecal Disease Approvers

[peoplepower-2009]

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO MAKE THIS RECALL? Isn''t it obvious our leaders in Washington spend all of our tax money in Iraq? To fund that irresponsible war instead of funding the FDA and the VA so they can do their jobs?

[colonieny]

This story seems to downplay the seriousness of this yet another event. I would like to see detailed. 1. That there have been several ECOLI outbreaks in the last 2 years. 2. FDA should state what exactly happen.3. How long did it take for this recall vs. first sickness. How much feet dragging was there, so as not to lose money ? 4. The story makes it sound like ECOLI is no big deal. It is. bloody diarrha means that the lining of the intestines are eaten away ! The toxins can cause a full drop in blood pressure to ZERO! Renal failure is frequent and can cause perma. damage. Brain abscess can follow. Loss of fingers and toes.
This is a big story.
HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO MAKE THIS RECALL ? Sept 25 means that virtually all has been already eaten !
The recall is on the 29 !!!! What the H is going on here !! Are you and I to be made deathly sick for their profits ?? I bet none of the Tops had their kids eat any of their meat during this time !!!!
Americans need to demand some answers from the FDA and our GOVT

[jetranger7]

I doon''ttttt Feeeeeellll Gooooooooddd !!!!!!!

[hamiltongrad]

WHAT ME WORRY ? EATING WHAAAA ?

What the FDA did not say is that this ECOLI comes from the stool/***/feces/diarrhea in the colon of the cow, which during the rush to get "product" is cut open and contents are spilled and mixed with the meat, that we eat. The big companies will not allow FDA to post FDA inspectors on line at all times, according to FAST FOOD NATION (a must read!).
Are they afraid that the line will be slowed down and "accidents" happen ? and tons of meat have to be destroyed, rather than eaten by you guys out there .. you tell me.
I get the feeling that our food supply was safer a few decades ago, than it is now.

[hypnotoad72]

Iceman_1960 - the Hindu belief claims cows are sacred. Given all the cow grinding blasphemy going on in America, I''m surprised by the number of H1B applicants who indirectly support this activity. :-)

[conserva-2009]

Everyone has a God image, that''s for you to decide. But eating cow tissue is a turn-off. Check my site at www.vegantunes.com You might just enjoy it.

[conserva-2009]

TIME TO GO VEGAN!

I wrote an entire music CD to inspire the new you--an animal loving, healthier way to be. Kids love it, too.

www.vegantunes.com It''ll change your life!

[drummer94]

Hey! Ron Paul is a RINO. He has learned to say what you wanna hear. Me too. BUUUUUUUT, We ain''t fooled. What A rino he is. And a wanna-be. Nevagonnahappen.

[mdc76082]

If there weren''t sooo many GD media outlets, we''d never even hear of half this panic driven ***. It would be pulled from the shelves and we''d be left wondering, "huh, didn''t it used to be here????", and we''d go and buy the brand next to it.

[tylenol6]

VOTE RON PAUL.......vote all the other idiots who are
now in congress OUT!!!!!!!!!

[drummer94]

Nope, donbl. Not China. That''s Wal-megabucks-cause we are stuuuuuupid. Buy American,if you can find it.