Nebraska Firm Recalls Buffalo Products in Colorado
July 26, 2007—DENVER—State health officials Friday urged consumers who
purchased buffalo meat products in Colorado restaurants to be aware
that a specific buffalo product has been recalled due to possible
contamination with E. coli O157:H7, a potentially deadly bacterium that
can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration. The very young, seniors and
persons with compromised immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness. No cases of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported in
Colorado that are associated with this product.
The U.S.
Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection
Service
announced yesterday that Custom Pack, Inc., of Hastings,
Neb., has
voluntarily recalled approximately 5,920 pounds of ground
beef and
buffalo products due to possible contamination with E. coli
O157:H7. In
Colorado, the only recalled products are the 12-pound boxes
of ground
buffalo patties distributed by King Canyon Buffalo, whose
name is
indicated on the label. The recalled ground buffalo
patties were produced on June 7, 2007, and
distributed to restaurants in Colorado. The recalled ground
beef products were produced between June 1 and June 13, 2007, and
were distributed to restaurants and institutions in Nebraska.
None of these products were sold through grocery stores. The
recalled products are
- 10-pound bags of "Custom Pack, Inc., Ground Beef." Each
label bears a package date of "6-1," "6-4," "6-5," "6-7," "6-8,"
"6-11," 6-12"
or "6-13."
- 25-pound boxes of "8-ounce Beef Patties." Each box bears
the package date of "7-07."
- 6-pound boxes of "16 6-ounce Char Patties." Each box
bears the package date of "7-07."
- 12-pound boxes of "Ground Buffalo Patties." Each box
bears the package date of "7-07."
Each package also bears the establishment number "Est.
5650" inside the USDA mark of inspection.
The problem was discovered through sampling done by
the Nebraska Department of Health Services, in coordination with the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as part of an investigation
into a reported illness.
Consumers and media with questions about the recall
should contact Custom Pack, Inc., President David B. Dirks at 402-462-2532,
or Chris Nerud, owner of King Canyon Buffalo at 303-944-9387. Nerud
indicated that all recalled ground buffalo patties are in the process
of being removed from all Colorado restaurants where the product was
distributed.
Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the Food Safety
and Inspection Service virtual representative available 24 hours a day
at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline,
1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854), 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. News
releases and other information can be found at
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fsis_Recalls/.
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