Company recalls million pounds of ground beef

MODESTO, Calif. — A meat processor recalled about 1 million pounds of ground beef products today after seven people were sickened by E. coli contamination.

Valley Meat Co., of Modesto, sold the potentially contaminated beef patties and ground beef in Oregon, California, Texas, Arizona and internationally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.

The beef was processed from Oct. 2, 2009, to Jan. 12, 2010. Most of the products were sold frozen. The company was working with the USDA to identify stores where the products were sold and remove the items from shelves.

The USDA would likely have a list of retailers available in three to 10 working days, department spokesman Neil Gaffney said.

“This is the first recall in our history and we will investigate the matter thoroughly and take any measures deemed necessary to further elevate our safety standards, protect consumers, and ensure confidence in our products,” Valley Meat said in a statement.

All of the recalled products have the establishment number “EST. 8268” inside the label’s USDA mark of inspection. Valley Meat said consumers should discard possibly affected meat or return it to stores for a refund.

The California Department of Health notified the USDA in mid-July of a cluster of E. coli-related illnesses, leading to the recall. A department spokesman said officials would issue a statement later today.

Tests identified the bacteria as E. coli O157:H7, the strain most commonly responsible for food poisoning. Symptoms of infection often include often include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting and a low fever. More serious infections can lead to kidney failure, brain damage and sometimes death.

Full list of affected products: tinyurl.com/valleymeat