Beef Recall 2011: Potentially Deadly E. Coli Fears for Ground Beef in LA

A Los Angeles company is recalling more than 375,000 pounds of ground beef products that were shipped to restaurants in California and Nevada because of potential E. coli contamination.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, routine monitoring confirmed a positive test for E. Coli in the meat from Commercial Meat Co.

The beef was processed between Sept. 7 and Oct. 7 and shipped to restaurants in California and Nevada in the form of bulk ground beef, patties, taco meat and chili.

No illnesses have been reported yet from Commercial Meat products.

All cases of ground beef products bearing the number “EST. 4873” inside the USDA mark of inspection are being recalled.

USDA policy measures the hazard level of recalls. According to KMIR-TV, this type of recall is known as a class one which means it involves dangerous or defective products that have the potential to cause serious health problems.

According to the CDC, E. coli is a bacterium that’s potentially deadly, especially for young children, seniors and people with weak immune systems. It can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and, in severe cases, kidney failure. E. coli usually lives in the intestines of healthy people and animals.

Undercooked beef is a fairly common cause of deadly bacterium. The USDA advises consumers to only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

In order to confirm that ground beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature.

Commercial Meat Company was established in 1992 and incorporated in California. They offer deli meat, prime meat, hamburger meat, and wholesale meat.