Texas Company Recalls Beef Tips in Gravy Because of Undercooking

WASHINGTON, July 16, 1999--Gorges/Quik-To-Fix Foods, Inc., a Harlingen, Texas, processing plant is voluntarily recalling approximately 600,000 pounds of product because some of the product may have been undercooked, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.

The products involved are all 3-pound cartons (each containing two 1.5 pound pouches) of "Haugin's Pride Beef Tips and Gravy" and "Schwan's Beef Tips and Gravy." "EST 7261A" appears inside the USDA inspection seal on the label. No other product is affected by the recall.

The code on the user carton and pouch starts with "SW" or has an 11-digit code with the middle three digits being "HRE" and the other digits being numerals. The recall covers product produced from March 1 through July 15.

The products were distributed nationwide to consumers through retail outlets and food service firms, and in Canada by a home delivery system firm.

"Because of the potential for foodborne illness, we urge consumers who have purchased the suspect product not to eat it and to return it to the place of purchase," said Thomas J. Billy, administrator of USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service.

FSIS was notified by the company after a food service distributor received consumer notification that a package of the product contained undercooked meat. FSIS will monitor the course of the recall.

Consumers with questions about the recall may call company representative David Culwell at (888) 456-8070.

Consumers with questions about food safety may phone the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-800-535-4555.

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NOTE: Access FSIS news releases and other information electronically at http://www.fsis.usda.gov