WASHINGTON, Nov. 26, 2003—Excel Corporation, a Dodge City, Kan., establishment, is voluntarily recalling approximately 26,600 pounds of fresh ground beef products because of misbranding, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.

The product package labels state that the ground beef has been irradiated for food safety, when in fact the beef has not been treated with irradiation. Irradiation is an intervention intended to further control pathogens in ground beef.

The following products are subject to recall:

1 pound packages of “IRRADIATED FOR FOOD SAFETY GROUND BEEF 93/7, SUREBEAM.” The packages carry various use or freeze by dates of Sept. 27 through Dec. 15.

1 pound packages of “IRRADIATED FOR FOOD SAFETY GROUND ROUND BEEF 85/15, SUREBEAM.” The packages carry various use or freeze by dates of Oct. 3 through Dec. 15.

The establishment number, 86K, is listed on the ingredient panel of each package. The ground beef products were produced on various dates between Sept. 2 and Nov. 20 and were distributed to retail stores in Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin.

The problem was discovered by the Excel Corporation.

FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of this product. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a physician.

Media with questions about the recall may contact company Director of Public Relations Mark Klein at 952-742-6211.

Consumers with questions about the recall may contact company Customer Service Manager Luke Miller at 877-596-4069.

Consumers with other food safety questions can phone the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHOTLINE. The hotline is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

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