|
UPDATE Was Valley Meats (or at least the
plant) Linked to THREE Prior E. coli O157:H7 Outbreaks and Recalls? Source of
Article: http://www.marlerblog.com/ Yesterday the FSIS
announced that Valley Meats LLC, a Coal Valley, Illinois meat
establishment (USDA EST. 5712) recalled approximately 100,000 pounds of
ground beef products that are likely contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 after illnesses linked
to the hamburger were reported in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois. One
child is reported to have died as a result of E. coli O157:H7 complications
likely Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome.
Valley Meats is located at 2302 1st St., Coal Valley, IL 61240. One of
the products recalled in this recent recall are a variety of J & B Brand
Products. Interestingly, J & B
Meats Corporation (USDA EST. 5712) is (or was) also located at 2302 1st St.,
Coal Valley, IL 61240 and is (or was) a manufacturer of branded specialty
meats and prepared foods serving the institutional food service market.
As of 2005, J&B Meats Corporation was a subsidiary of Topps Meat Company,
LLC. Topps Meat was linked to dozens of illnesses in October 2007, was forced
by FSIS
to recall over 21,000,000 pounds of hamburger and eventually filed for
bankruptcy. J & B recalled nearly 175,000
pounds of hamburger in that recall, 76,000
pounds in August 2003, and in June 2002 recalled nearly 65,000
pounds of hamburger. I guess some folks never
learn. The reality is that the 2009 E. coli season seems be underway,
with an outbreak in Ohio, Illinois, and Pennsylvania that has already claimed
a young life. Outbreaks spike up as temperatures climb, and so do the
recalls. There are lots of theories why, but regardless of how it comes
about, come about it does. 2006 was a banner year in my book.
From 2002-2005, 28 million pounds of contaminated meat was recalled in
step-down amounts year to year, but in 2006, the amount dropped to an
impressive low of just 181,000 pounds. The numbers of E. coli cases in
my office reached exactly the point I am always striving for zero.
Then E. coli came roaring back. Since 2007, 41 million pounds of
contaminated meat has been recalled 100,000 of those pounds just last week
in Ohio, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. E. coli is here, and its clearly
deadly. |
Copyright (C) All rights reserved under FoodHACCP.com
If you have any comments, please send your email to
info@foodhaccp.com
