FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Ground Beef Products Due To Possible E. coli O157:H7 Contaminati

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for approximately 14,800 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, that were produced by Texas American Food Service Corporation, Fort Worth, Texas, doing business as American Fresh Foods. This public health alert was initiated after a trailer containing the products was reported stolen by the company.

The consumer products subject to this public health alert include:

• 2-pound approximate weight packages of "73/27 GROUND BEEF" bearing a sell-by date of "12.30.07"
• 2-pound approximate weight packages of "80/20 GROUND BEEF CHUCK" bearing a sell-by date of "12.31.07"
• 1-pound approximate weight packages of "85/15 GROUND BEEF ROUND" bearing a sell-by date of "12.31.07"
• 1-pound approximate weight packages of "90/10 GROUND BEEF SIRLOIN" bearing a sell-by date of "12.31.07"
• 1-pound approximate weight packages of "96/04 EXTRA LEAN GROUND BEEF, 4% FAT" bearing a sell-by date of "12.31.07"

Each package label bears the establishment number "EST. 13116" inside the USDA mark of inspection and the company name "American Fresh Foods, Ft. Worth, TX 76102" below the nutrition information. Each package has a net weight of approximately 1 to 2 pounds.

Bulk product also subject to this health alert include:

• 40-pound "net wt." box of "73/27 100% GROUND BEEF; REWORK MAP" 
• 260-pound "net wt." combo bin of " CHUCK 100% GROUND BEEF; REWORK MAP"
• 370-pound "net wt." combo bin of "SIRLOIN 100% GROUND BEEF; REWORK"

Each bulk product label bears the establishment number "EST. 13116" inside the USDA mark of inspection as well as a date of "12-19-07" with the production information filled in by hand.

The consumer and bulk ground beef products were produced on Dec. 19, 2007.