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STATE AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT WARNS OF MEAT RECALL
Consumers planning a summer cookout should check to make sure their ground beef is not part of a recall affecting meat sold at Kroger and other stores in more than 20 states.
The Kroger Co. expanded its voluntary recall Wednesday to include 20-25 stores in its Mid-Atlantic Region – which includes West Virginia – saying some meat may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, a dangerous pathogen that can cause severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting and fever. In rare cases it can be deadly, but most people recover within five to seven days. No illnesses have been reported in West Virginia.
However, West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass said the West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) has initiated the collection of ground beef samples in addition to those already collected on a regular basis to ensure the safety of West Virginia consumers.
In West Virginia, the recall includes ground beef products coming from Nebraska Beef, Ltd. in styrofoam tray packages wrapped in clear cellophane or purchased from an in-store service counter, with a sell-by date of May 19 - June 6. Also included is Private Selection Natural Ground Beef in a 16-ounce vacuum-sealed package with a sell-by date of July 11-July 21. The product was sold in 20-25 stores in Kroger’s Mid-Atlantic Region, but it is not clear if any of those stores are actually located within West Virginia. In Ohio, ground beef products with the sell-by date of May 21-July 3 are being recalled.
The recall does not include ground beef sold in 1-, 3- or 5-pound sealed tubes or frozen ground beef patties.
“I urge everyone planning on eating hamburger to check the labels against the recall list to ensure that their meat is not subject to the recall,” said West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass. “I also encourage consumers to wash their hands often when handling food, avoid cross-contamination, and to cook their hamburgers to 160 degrees, which will kill any bacteria.”
He added that the products in question were produced under federal inspection in other states, and that local products under WVDA inspection have never been the subject of a recall.
Nebraska Beef, Ltd. has issued its own recall of more than 500,000 pounds of ground beef from wholesalers and other processing companies.
Consumers who have questions about the recall may contact their local Kroger store where meat was purchased, or Kroger toll-free at 800-632-6900 or online at www.kroger.com/recalls.
Consumers with questions about the Nebraska Beef recall should contact company Vice-President of Administration James Timmerman at 402-733-0456.
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant, animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory and consumer protection programs, as mandated by state law. The Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials in West Virginia. Currently, Commissioner Gus R. Douglass is the longest-serving agriculture commissioner in the nation. For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org.
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