DENVER (AP) -- The Denver-based King Soopers grocery chain is recalling nearly a half million pounds of ground beef products that might be linked to 14 cases of salmonella in Colorado.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service says Wednesday that the products were produced from May 23 through June 13 and bear the establishment number "EST. 6250" within the USDA Mark of Inspection, printed on the front of the packages.
The meat was distributed to King Soopers and City Market stores in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.
Although the product may be no longer available in stores, state health officials urge consumers who may have purchased the product between May 23 and June 23, 2009, at local King Soopers and City Market stores, to check their freezers for any product and discard it or return it to the place of purchase.
Handling and cooking the meat is not recommended because of the potential to contaminate hands or the kitchen with the meat.
The recalled products are listed below:
* 1-pound chubs of (93/7) ground beef, package case code 69558, use by/sell by dates between 05/31/09 and 06/21/09
* Tray packs have a use by/sell by date between 06/02/09 and 06/23/09 and include the following:
* 1 - 1.25-lb. tray packs of (96/4) ground beef, package case code 67164
* 1 - 1.25-lb. tray packs of (96/4) ground beef, case code 67664*
* 1 - 1.25-lb. tray packs of (93/7) ground beef, package case code 67663
* 1 - 1.25-lb. tray packs of (93/7) ground beef, package case code 67163
* 2.5 - 3-lb. tray packs of (93/7) ground beef, package case code 67654
* Ground beef patties have a use by/sell by date between 06/01/09 and 06/22/09 and include 6-pack trays of (93/7) ground beef patties, package case code 67106; and 4-pack trays of (93/7) ground beef patties, package case code 67115
The recall is a result of an ongoing investigation of a Salmonella typhimurium DT104 outbreak by the state health department.
To date, 14 cases with the same DNA fingerprint have been identified among Colorado residents in the following counties: Boulder (3), Denver (1), Douglas (1), Jefferson (4), Larimer (1), Mesa (2) and Routt (2).
Six people have been hospitalized; all are recovering.
Individuals became ill between June 13 and June 28 and report purchasing their meat between June 1 and June 14 from a variety of King Soopers and City Market stores in Colorado.
All 14 individuals reported consuming 93 percent lean ground beef during the week before becoming ill. The department’s lab tested one partially cooked hamburger collected from an ill person’s refrigerator. That meat tested positive for the outbreak strain of Salmonella, giving further evidence that ground beef is the source of this outbreak.
SYMPTOMS
Eating food contaminated with Salmonella can result in abdominal cramping, diarrhea and fever. Most people infected with Salmonella develop the symptoms 12 to 72 hours after infection.
The illness usually lasts four to seven days. Most people recover without treatment. However, anyone experiencing symptoms such as severe diarrhea should contact a physician. In some individuals, diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses.
The very young, the elderly and people with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness; however, anyone can be infected with salmonella.
For more information about foodborne illnesses, the public may contact Alicia Cronquist, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, 303-692-2629.
Consumers with questions regarding the recall may contact Kroger’s Hotline at 1-800-632-6900. Salmonella information is available on CDC’s Web site, www.cdc.gov.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Additional information provided by Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
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