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Contact: Lori Maldonado
Public Information Specialist
(303) 692-2028
For Immediate Release Tuesday, October 7, 2003
Recalled Beef Jerky Tainted with Salmonella
DENVER--Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
officials Tuesday urged Colorado consumers to check their boating,
camping, hiking, hunting and snacking supplies for beef jerky that
may be contaminated with Salmonella kiambu.
The Department of Public Health and Environment warning comes after
Old Santa Fe Trail Enterprises, Inc. of Albuquerque, New Mexico,
issued a voluntary recall late last week affecting approximately
22,000 pounds of beef jerky produced between May 1 and September 26,
2003.
The products covered by the recall include the General Store Route
66 and Old Santa Fe Trail brands of peppered, green chili, red chili
and original recipe beef jerky. The jerky comes in 1 to 8 oz. and 1
to 16 oz. plastic bags respectively. The products covered by the
recall bear the establishment code “EST.13343” inside the U.S.
Department of Agriculture mark of inspection.
Susan Parachini, wholesale food program manager of the department’s
Consumer Protection Division, said, “Coloradans should check for any
of the recalled product that may be in stashes of snack foods for
outdoor activities or snacks in general. This may be a product that
people purchase in quantity and keep seemingly forever. If
Coloradans find the jerky, they are advised to dispose of it or
return it to the place of purchase. Do not consume the jerky.”
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Beef Jerky – Page 2
Colorado health officials said that although the products are known
to have been sold in Colorado, both through mail order and retail
sales, the exact retail sales locations are still being identified.
The company reports that they have notified mail order and wholesale
customers.
Consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella may cause
salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses.
Salmonella infections can be life threatening, especially for
infants, the elderly or the immune compromised. The most common
symptoms are diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever within eight to 72
hours of consumption. Additional symptoms include chills, headache,
nausea and vomiting that can last up to seven days.
Alicia Cronquist, a department epidemiologist, reported that there
were two cases of Salmonella kiambu reported in Colorado during
September. Both cases reported having consumed beef jerky although
there has been no specific link to the jerky from the recall.
Consumers with questions are urged to contact the company assistant
manager, Angela Postlethwait, at (505) 255-7950 or the Department of
Public Health and Environment’s Consumer Protection Division at
(303) 692-3620.
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