New Hampshire Company Recalls Beef Patties For Potentially Harmful E. Coli O157 Contamination

WASHINGTON, August 6, 1999--Jac Pac Foods, a Manchester, N.H., meat processing company, is voluntarily recalling approximately 250,000 pounds of frozen beef patties, frozen hamburger patties, and ground beef that may be contaminated with a potentially harmful strain of E. coli O157, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.

The recalled products bear "EST 785" within the U. S. Department of Agriculture seal of inspection. The products involved are five-pound and 10-pound boxes of beef patties with UPC codes 7060600246 and 7060600461, respectively, and with product manufacturing date codes of 00924 and 00934.

The product was produced on April 2, 1999, and distributed throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.

Illnesses in the Northeast United States led to an investigation that resulted in this recall. At this point, one illness has been directly linked to the product.

E. coli O157 is a potentially deadly bacteria that can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration. The very young, the elderly, and persons with compromised immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness.

"Because of the potential hazard of foodborne illness from consumption of undercooked or underprocessed meat products contaminated with potentially harmful pathogens, 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. "USDA is informing the public so consumers who may have purchased and stored product in their freezers can know to check," Billy said.

Consumers with questions about the recall may phone Jac Pac at 1-800-417-1241.

Consumers with questions about food safety may phone the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-800-535-4555. The hotline is staffed from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern time) Monday through Friday, and recorded information is available 24 hours a day.

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NOTE: Access news releases and other information at the FSIS Web Site on the World Wide Web at http://www.fsis.usda.gov

NOTE TO EDITORS: Media inquiries to the company should be directed to Chuck Hungler at l-800-522-7220.