JBS Swift Beef Recall Expanded Over E. coli Concerns

Greeley, COIt might have been Sunday, but a weekend never appears to deter the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) from pulling the trigger on the recall revolver—especially when it comes to bad beef. And a recall announced last week of beef potentially contaminated with E. coli was expanded yesterday to about ten times the size of the initial E. coli beef recall--yet another possible outbreak of foodborne illness.

According to a report posted this morning on CNNMoney.com the recall last week of product by JBS Swift Beef Company of Greeley, Colorado was the result of "an ongoing investigation into 24 illnesses in multiple states," said a USDA rerelease, "of which at least 18 appear to be associated."

The USDA Inspection Service, which issued the statement, did not reveal which states were affected, or where the suspect beef products had been sold.

Although the widening of the beef recall announced yesterday pales in comparison to some historically large beef recalls over the last few years, the updated recall is troubling.

The initial recall was for 41,280 pounds and announced this past Wednesday, June 26th. Yesterday JBS Swift voluntarily expanded that recall to include an additional 380,000 pounds. When combined with the initial quantity, the expanded recall now represents more than ten times the scope of the initial recall announced June 26th.

According to the USDA statement, "the recalled products include intact cuts of beef, such as primals, sub-primals or boxed beef typically used for steaks and roasts rather than ground beef. (The Food Safety and Inspection Service) is aware that some of these products may have been further processed into ground products by other companies. The highest risk products for consumers are raw ground product, trim or other non-intact product made from the products subject to the recall."

CNN was reporting that according to the USDA the affected beef products were produced on April 21st and were distributed internationally, as well as throughout the US.
A spokesperson for JBS Swift Beef Company was commenting on the company's web site, "we continue to work closely with the USDA to ensure that product is removed from the marketplace and the recall is completed successfully," according to CNN, which was not successful in reaching the company by telephone.

"It is important for consumers to note that the recalled product from the date in question was sold by JBS as whole muscle cuts, not as ground beef," Keys added in comments posted on the JBS Swift web site. "The ground beef that might have been associated with illness was produced by other companies who often do not use the antimicrobial intervention steps we employ in our facility to reduce the risk of the beef products.

"Nevertheless, we have agreed to expand our recall of whole muscle cuts out of an abundance of caution for consumers."

Boxes of the recalled product bear the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, the identifying package date of "042109" and a time stamp ranging from "0618" to "1130," the statement said.

It added that some of the beef products might have undergone further processing and might not have the "EST. 969" marking on products for sale directly to consumers.

E. coli is a concern in that it will make the strongest, healthiest person very sick for many days, often inciting severe abdominal pain and nausea, together with bloody diarrhea. However, while healthy people with robust immune systems will usually recover fully after several days without the need for hospitalization, E. coli contamination can have a disastrous affect on infants and young children, the elderly, or anyone with weakened immune systems. For those, E. coli can prove deadly.