E. coli Scare Triggers
Big Beef Recall

WASHINGTON, July 20, 2002 -- ConAgra is recalling 19 million pounds of hamburger possibly contaminated by toxic E. coli bacteria. It's the second largest beef recall on record. The recall was expanded after 16 people in Colorado were sickened by hamburger processed by ConAgra. The company is a major supplier to restaurants, grocery stores and food service companies.

"This action is being taken as a cautionary measure to ensure the protection of public health," Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said in announcing the broadening of a recall ordered at the end of June.

Consumers can best protect themselves by cooking ground beef to 160 degrees in the center -- gray, not red -- and by moderating their consumption of ground beef in restaurants.

Consumers should also check the labels on any ground beef in their refrigerators or freezers. Labels on the recalled meat have the code "EST. 969" inside the USDA seal of inspection. A complete list of recalled products is on the Web site of USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service.

E. coli bacteria are naturally present in the intestinal tracts of all warm-blooded animals, including humans. Most strains are harmless but E. coli 0157:H7 can be lethal to humans. When ingested, it produces a toxin that can cause severe gastrointestinal distress. It can be fatal in some cases.

Several consumer groups said the Agriculture Department's testing program was inadequate.

"This recall really shows a systematic breakdown where neither USDA or the plant recognized a problem for three months," said said Caroline Smith DeWaal, food safety director for the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

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