WASHINGTON, Sept. 29, 2007 - Topps Meat Company, LLC, an Elizabeth, NJ, establishment, is voluntarily expanding its Sept. 25 recall to include a total of approximately 21.7 million pounds of frozen ground beef products because they may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.
The recall is being expanded based on an additional positive product sample reported by the New York Health Department, reported illnesses and findings from a food safety assessment conducted by FSIS at the establishment.
There are currently 25 illnesses under investigation in Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania. An investigation carried out by the New York Department of Health in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, preceded the recall of Sept. 25.
Frozen products still in commerce with an unexpired sell-by date are subject to this recall expansion. The company applies a one-year sell-by date to their frozen products. It is important that consumers look for the recalled products and return them if found in their freezers.
The frozen ground beef products were produced on various dates between Sept. 25, 2006, and Sept. 25, 2007, and were distributed to food service institutions in the New York metropolitan area and to retail establishments nationwide.
To check suspected package labeling go to USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
