NEW JERSEY FIRM RECALLS GROUND BEEF PRODUCTS DUE TO POSSIBLE

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) released the following information:

WASHINGTON, June 8, 2008 – Dutch's Meat, Inc., a Trenton, N.J., firm, is recalling approximately 13,275 pounds of ground beef products because they may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.
PREPARING GROUND BEEF FOR SAFE CONSUMPTION
The following products are subject to recall:
USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline
1-888-MPHOTLINE or visit
• 10-pound plastic bags of "DUTCH'S MEATS, INC., GROUND BEEF."
www.fsis.usda.gov
Wash hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat and poultry. Wash cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot, soapy water. Immediately clean spills.
Keep raw meat, fish and poultry away from other food that will not be cooked. Use separate cutting boards for raw meat, poultry and egg products and cooked foods.
Consumers should only eat ground beef or ground beef patties that have been cooked to a safe internal temperature of 160º F.
Color is NOT a reliable indicator that ground beef or ground beef patties have been cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7.
The only way to be sure ground beef is cooked to a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria is to use a thermometer to measure the internal temperature.
Refrigerate raw meat and poultry within two hours after purchase or one hour if temperatures exceed 90º F. Refrigerate cooked meat and poultry within two hours after cooking.
• 10-pound vacuum-packed plastic bags of "DUTCH'S MEATS, INC., GROUND BEEF."
• 10-pound boxes of "DUTCH'S MEATS, INC., HAMBURGER PATTIES."
The ground beef products bear the establishment number "EST. 5424" inside the USDA mark of inspection. The recalled products were packaged from May 27, 2008 through June 6, 2008. This packaging date is stamped on the bag label or box.
These ground beef products were distributed to restaurants and food service institutions in the Trenton, N.J., area. These ground beef products were not available to consumers for direct purchase in retail locations.
The problem was discovered by FSIS routine microbiological testing. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of this product. Anyone with signs or symptoms of foodborne illness should consult a medical professional.
E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. The very young, seniors and persons with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness.
Media and consumers with questions about the recall should contact company Vice President Al Granaldi at (609) 882-6650.

Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS 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 l0 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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NOTE: Access news releases and other information at FSIS' Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fsis_Recalls/
USDA RECALL CLASSIFICATIONSClass I This is a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the useof the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.Class II This is a health hazard situation where there is a remote probability of adverse healthconsequences from the use of the product. Class III This is a situation where the use of the product will not cause adverse healthconsequences

Type of Recall:
Class I - This is a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.