Recall on Ground Beef Health Risk High

107,943 pounds of frozen ground beef products are being recalled, because it may be contaminated with E. coli, from Richwood Meat Co, Inc., Merced, California. The beef was sent to retail outlets in Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. E. coli is a bacterium that can be deadly and can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration. Children, elderly and people with weak immune systems are the most susceptible.

This is a Class I Recall, a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.

According to USDA, The Food Safety and Inspection Service Consumers with questions about the recall should contact company Vice-President Steve Wood at (209) 722-8171, ext. 14. Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at
http://www.AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) in English and Spanish ,can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

The labels of the products being recalled have the number "EST. 8264 inside the USDA mark of inspection. Only products with a date code of 118-6 or 4/28/06 are subject to recall.

List Of Products Recalled

• 10-pound boxes of FIRERIVER CLASSIC GROUND BEEF PATTIES, 80/20, Code: 1570985

• 10-pound boxes of FIRERIVER CLASSIC BEEF/SIRLOIN & BEEF, 80/20, Code: 3091816

• 10-pound boxes of RITZFOODSERVICE PURE BEEF PATTIES, 80/20, Code: 7720

• 10-pound boxes of CHEF'S PRIDE PURE BEEF PATTIES, 80/20, Code: 7197

• 10-pound boxes of FIRERIVER PURE BEEF PATTIES, 75/25, Code: 1514595

• 10-pound boxes of BLACKWOOD FARM GROUND BEEF 80/20, Code: 7782

• 10-pound boxes of RITZFOODSERVICE GROUND BEEF PATTIES, 80/20, Code: 771

• 10-pound boxes of CALIFORNIA PACIFIC ASSOCIATES GROUND BEEF PATTIES 80/20, Code: 4115

• 10-pound boxes of CHEF'S PRIDE GROUND BEEF PATTIES, 80/20, Code: 7161

• 10-pound boxes of C&C DISTRIBUTING GROUND BEEF PATTIES, Code: 7123

• 10-pound boxes of RICHWOOD MEAT COMPANY GROUND BEEF PATTIES, 80/20, Code: 7171

• 10-pound boxes of GOLBON GROUND BEEF PATTIES, Code: 7293

• 10-pound boxes of CHEF'S PRIDE GROUND BEEF PATTIES, 80/20, Code: 7163

• 10-pound boxes of RICHWOOD GROUND BEEF PATTIES, 80/20, Code: 7173

• 20-pound boxes of FIRERIVER CLASSIC GROUND BEEF PATTIES, 80/20, Code: 1494426

• 10-pound boxes of FIRERIVER BEEF PATTIES, 80/20, Code: 1120039

• 10-pound boxes of FIRERIVER BEEF PATTIES, Code: 3059227

• 10-pound boxes of FIRERIVER CLASSIC GROUND BEEF PATTIES, 80/20, Code: 1120229

• 10-pound boxes of RICHWOOD MEAT COMPANY BEEF PATTIES, Code: 4506

• 12-pound boxes of RICHWOOD MEAT COMPANY BEEF PATTIES, 80/20, Code 4078

• 12-pound boxes of RICHWOOD MEAT COMPANY BEEF PATTIES, 80/20, Code 4082

• 18-pound boxes of FIRERIVER CLASSIC GROUND BEEF PATTIES, 80/20, Code: 9064890

• 18-pound boxes of FIRERIVER CLASSIC GROUND BEEF PATTIES, 80/20, Code: 9064890

• 18-pound boxes of FIRERIVER CLASSIC GROUND BEEF PATTIES, 80/20, Code: 9064536

• 14-pound boxes of RICHWOOD MEAT COMPANY GROUND BEEF PATTIES, Code: 4079

• 2.66-pound bags of RICHWOOD MEAT BEEF SIRLOIN & BEEF PATTIES, Code: 4094

• 3-pound packs of RICHWOOD MEAT PURE BEEF PATTIES, Code: 4098

• 5-pound packs of RICHWOOD BEEF PATTIES, Code: 4170

• 18-pound boxes of RICHWOOD MEAT COMPANY GROUND BEEF PATTIES, 80/20, Code 4048

• 18-pound boxes of FIRERIVER CLASSIC GROUND BEEF PATTIES, 80/20, Code: 9064676

• 18-pound boxes of RICHWOOD MEAT COMPANY PURE BEEF PATTIES, 80/20, Code: 4047

• 18-pound boxes of RICHWOOD MEAT COMPANY GROUND BEEF PATTIES, 80/20, Code: 4081

• 13.33-pound boxes of RICHWOOD MEAT COMPANY PURE BEEF PATTIES, 80/20, Code: 4077

• 20-pound boxes of FIRERIVER CLASSIC GROUND BEEF BULK, 80/20, Code: 2011062

• 10-pound boxes of FIRERIVER CLASSIC GROUND BEEF BULK, 80/20, Code: 1120245

• 20-pound boxes of FIRERIVER CLASSIC GROUND BEEF BULK, 80/20, Code: 6378772

• 20-pound boxes of FIRERIVER CLASSIC GROUND BEEF BULK, 85/15, Code: 7709090

• 10-pound boxes of RITZFOODSERVICE GROUND BEEF PATTIES, 80/20, Code: 4731

• 10-pound boxes of CHEF'S PRIDE GROUND BEEF, 80/20, Code: 4169

• 20-pound boxes of RICHWOOD MEAT COMPANY PURE GROUND BEEF, 80/20, Code: 4240

• 48-pound boxes of RICHWOOD MEAT COMPANY PURE BEEF BULK, 80/20, Code: 4187

• 20-pound boxes of RICHWOOD MEAT COMPANY BEEF PATTY BULK, Code: 4686

• 20-pound boxes of FIRERIVER CLASSIC BEEF PATTY BULK, Code: 1002575

Resource: USDA, The Food Safety and Inspection Service