Refugee
08-31-2007, 03:42 AM
Six people in Washington have been sickened by E. coli contamination in ground beef made by Oregon-based Interstate Meats, leading to a federal consumer alert for the products.
The illnesses occurred in late July and the first week of August, the state health department said.
Two other cases connected to the company's products have been reported in Oregon.
The Washington cases included one child and five adults in King, Island and Clallam counties, the health department said. Two were hospitalized and have since recovered.
The alert was issued by the U.S. Food Safety Inspection Service for products sold under the brand name "Northwest Finest." The products subject to this public health alert include:
• 16-ounce packages of "Northwest Finest 7% FAT, NATURAL GROUND BEEF." The label bears a UPC code of 752907 600127.
• 16-ounce packages of "Northwest Finest 10% FAT, Organic GROUND BEEF." No UPC code is available.
Each package also bears the establishment number "Est. 965" inside the U.S. Department of Agriculture mark of inspection, and sell-by dates between Aug. 1 and Aug. 11.
The ground-beef products were produced on various dates between July 19 and July 30 and distributed in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
The affected products were available for sale at Safeway, QFC and Fred Meyer stores in Washington. But the ground beef may have been available at other outlets, so all consumers are advised to check their freezers for these products. Any frozen ground beef should be checked and discarded as necessary.
E. coli O157 causes mild to severe intestinal illness and may result in serious kidney complications. Symptoms include diarrhea, which may contain blood; abdominal cramping and vomiting.
Information on safe food handling and preparation is available on the Department of Health Food Safety Program Web site (www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/sf/food/food.htm (http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/sf/food/food.htm)) and the Food Safety Inspection Service Web site (www.fsis.usda.gov (http://www.fsis.usda.gov/)).
The illnesses occurred in late July and the first week of August, the state health department said.
Two other cases connected to the company's products have been reported in Oregon.
The Washington cases included one child and five adults in King, Island and Clallam counties, the health department said. Two were hospitalized and have since recovered.
The alert was issued by the U.S. Food Safety Inspection Service for products sold under the brand name "Northwest Finest." The products subject to this public health alert include:
• 16-ounce packages of "Northwest Finest 7% FAT, NATURAL GROUND BEEF." The label bears a UPC code of 752907 600127.
• 16-ounce packages of "Northwest Finest 10% FAT, Organic GROUND BEEF." No UPC code is available.
Each package also bears the establishment number "Est. 965" inside the U.S. Department of Agriculture mark of inspection, and sell-by dates between Aug. 1 and Aug. 11.
The ground-beef products were produced on various dates between July 19 and July 30 and distributed in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
The affected products were available for sale at Safeway, QFC and Fred Meyer stores in Washington. But the ground beef may have been available at other outlets, so all consumers are advised to check their freezers for these products. Any frozen ground beef should be checked and discarded as necessary.
E. coli O157 causes mild to severe intestinal illness and may result in serious kidney complications. Symptoms include diarrhea, which may contain blood; abdominal cramping and vomiting.
Information on safe food handling and preparation is available on the Department of Health Food Safety Program Web site (www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/sf/food/food.htm (http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/sf/food/food.htm)) and the Food Safety Inspection Service Web site (www.fsis.usda.gov (http://www.fsis.usda.gov/)).