http://news.aol.com/story/ar/_a/beef-recall-for-e-coli-is-expanded/20070930083709990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001

Originally a 332,000 lb recall for E. Coli, it was expanded to nearly 22 million pounds, roughly the weight of 160 M1A1 tanks.

I'm all for food safety. While reading that article, I came across this interesting piece of information:

"The recall, by the Topps Meat Company of Elizabeth, N.J., covers a wide range of frozen hamburger patties and other products manufactured over the last year and bearing a “sell by” date or “best used by” date between last Tuesday and Sept. 25, 2008..."

It's a fairly safe bet that most of this recalled meat has either been eaten or thrown away... I'm not sure I want to know what meat products have a shelf life of a year. Hamburger patties bought today are not going to be in my freezer a year from now...

Seems to me to be an epidemic of CYA syndrome.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't properly handling and cooking hamburger meat, even potentially tainted meat, virtually eliminate any chance of being infected with E. Coli?

"Amanda Eamich, a spokeswoman for the service, said the expanded recall was based on an additional sample of meat contaminated with the E. coli O157:H7 strain...."

Singular? As in one sample? So they recall the equivalent to 40,000 cow's worth of meat (enough to fill 6 Olympic sized swimming pools) based on one sample, which they didn't even analyze themselves?

Now, I'm not saying I'd enjoy a case of raging, week-long "bloody diarrhea" from an E-coli infection, but IMO this recall is a bit overkill for "up to 25 cases of illness".

"A Topps spokesman said most of the 21.7 million pounds of ground beef the company recalled has already been consumed."

Oops!

Thoughts?

Ant

I actually commend them for this responsible action, even if it seems a bit overboard.  I've had a salmonella parasite in my intestines and spent a week in the hospital.  That was 19 years ago and I'm still suspiscious of everything I eat  :P.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't properly handling and cooking hamburger meat, even potentially tainted meat, virtually eliminate any chance of being infected with E. Coli?

You'd kill off all the bugs, certainly, the question is whether they'd have made any tasty toxins in the meantime.  With E.coli, it's usually the live bug that's the problem as you have a few dozens of millions living in your gut at the moment, and some strains produce a rather nasty toxin - but AFAIA, that is once it hits the gut, and not from being frozen on your burgers

ISTM that getting rid of ten kilotons of beef is way OTT... almost as much as the BSE hysteria.


I actually commend them for this responsible action, even if it seems a bit overboard.  I've had a salmonella parasite in my intestines and spent a week in the hospital.  That was 19 years ago and I'm still suspiscious of everything I eat  :P.

Salmonella's a different beastie entirely: it makes a very nasty toxin while it's sitting on your chicken (well, most foods, but *especially* raw chicken), and the toxin isn't removed or denatured by cooking.  But I can definitely understand the reticence (I've not had salmonella poisoning myself, but I have had to clean up after someone else who did.  Not a pleasant experience for either of us)

The Topps meat company has closed (Story here).

What's weird is that the USDA has no power to force a recall - Topps did it voluntarily. Why issue a recall that you know will sink your company, and still not save you from lawsuits?

Speaking of which, ISTM that Topps can't be held fully liable in any suit - there is the *little* matter of preparing and handling of the food, something that Topps has no control over. Done properly, it doesn't matter if the meat has E Coli. How hard is it to cook a hamburger?  ???

Ant

The Topps meat company has closed

All that's left is ground zero

All that's left is ground zero


;D + karma

All that's left is ground zero




Snappy.  I like that one!
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/07/pfiade.gif

Back in the old days if you bought ground beef, you selected your own cut and the butcher ground right before your eyes.  If you bought hamburger sight unseen, they'd send you to get your head examined!
::)

I hope no one here likes turkey or chicken pot pies:

ConAgra Recalls Pot Pies In Past Two Years


Last year we had the spinach recall. This year it's been peanut butter, pet food, chili, baby food, bread, chips, ground beef and now this pot pie recall.

Not to mention all of these.

Looking back through the years, it seems recalls are not increasing that much year to year. Are we just hearing about these recalls more, are they larger than in past years... what's the deal?

Ant