At this time a total of 28 people infected with E. coli from the outbreak. The outbreak is not limited to New England as previously reported. Eight affected people are in Massachusetts; four each are in Connecticut and New Hampshire; two each are in Maine, Pennsylvania and South Dakota; and one each is in California, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York and Vermont.
Sixteen patients are reported to have been hospitalized and 3 developed a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome . Two deaths have been reported by the CDC. Sixty-five percent of patients are male and 42% are less than 18 years old.
Fairbank Farms in Ashville, New York recalled more than half a million pounds of fresh ground beef products that may be contaminated with a strain of E. coli, a potentially deadly species of bacteria.
As stated in an earlier article, the ground beef products subject to recall were sent to retailers including Trader Joe's, Price Chopper, Lancaster and Wild Harvest, Shaw's, BJ's, Ford Brothers, and Giant Food Stores.
The recall was for distribution centers in eight states, but Fairbank Farms said some retailers may have sent the affected beef to other states.
Aside from the recalled beef, consumers should always be careful when cooking ground beef:
Eat ground beef or ground beef patties that have been cooked to a safe internal temperature of 160° F.
Use a food thermometer to measure the internal temperature—it is the only way to be sure ground beef is cooked to a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria.
Color is NOT a reliable indicator that ground beef or ground beef patties have been cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7.
Refrigerate Meats
Refrigerate raw meat within two hours after purchase or within one hour if temperatures exceed 90° F.
Store ground beef in a refrigerator set at 40° F or below, and cook or freeze it within one or two days of purchase
Refrigerate cooked meat and poultry within two hours after cooking, and use or freeze it within three or four days
Complete recall information can be found on the USDA site.
Cheryl Phillips
HULIQ.com
Posted November 4th, 2009 by Cheryl Phillips
