JBS Swift Beef Company E.coli Recall Expanded to 421,280 Lbs

by Tina Kells | June 29, 2009 at 02:38 pm

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JBS Swift Beef Company of Greeley, Colorado initiated a voluntary recall of 41,280 pounds of beef products on suspicions of a possible E.coli contamination on June 24, 2009. Now that beef recall has been expanded to include another 380,000 pounds of product. The total JBS Swift Beef Company beef products recall as of June 28, 2009 was a staggering 421,280 pounds.

The initial recall of 41,280 pounds announced last Wednesday was voluntarily expanded Sunday to include an additional 380,000 pounds of products made by the JBS Swift Beef Company, of Greeley, Colorado, the USDA said.

The recall came as a result of "an ongoing investigation into 24 illnesses in multiple states, of which at least 18 appear to be associated," the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service said in a written statement.

USDA spokesman Brian Mabery said no fatalities had been reported.

On its Web site, the company said the suspect beef was produced at its Greeley plant on April 21 and distributed nationally and internationally.

"Each of our customers will be personally informed of this recall by phone," the wholesaler said. A spokesman would not identify those customers to CNN.

Below is a brief description of the beef recall products. For a complete list of product names and how to identify them as subject to the recall notice is available as a PDF download only from the USDA. See the PDF document outlining the products impacted by the JBS Swift Beef Company E.coli Recall.

A list of the products subject to the expanded recall attached.[PDF Only]

Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection as well as the identifying package date of "042109" and a time stamp ranging from "0618" to "1130." However, these products were sent to establishments and retail stores nationwide for further processing and will likely not bear the establishment number "EST. 969" on products available for direct consumer purchase. Customers with concerns should contact their point of purchase.

The recalled products include intact cuts of beef, such as primals, sub-primals, or boxed beef typically used for steaks and roasts rather than ground beef. FSIS is aware that some of these products may have been further processed into ground products by other companies. The highest risk products for consumers are raw ground product, trim or other non-intact product made from the products subject to the recall.