Beef Packers forced to recall more ground beef for Salmonella contamination

Beef Packers Inc. has issued another recall on ground beef it believes may be contaminated with Salmonella.

According to a release from the Dept. of Agriculture, the following product is included in the recall: 60 pound cases of “GRD Beef Fine 93/07 10/60.” Each case bears the identifying case code W69363 with Use/Freeze by dates of 10/11/09.

The recall includes about 22,723 pounds of beef and the product was manufactured on Sept. 23 and features EST. 31913 on the USDA case code labels.

One Arizona retailer was the purchaser of the entire lot of ground beef. However, the beef was then repackaged and sold under various brand names.

Consumers are urged to check with their retailers to determine if meat they may have purchased is included in the recall.

At least two reports of illness have been reported as a result of eating contaminated ground beef from Beef Packers Inc.

Beef Packers Inc. recently found itself in less-than-glorious spotlight recently when USA Today conducted an investigation into ground beef purchased for the Federal School Lunch Program. That beef was also produced at Beef Packers Inc. and sold to the government for use in the program.

Three of four shipments were stopped, however, when it was determined they were contaminated with Salmonella.

The beef is believed to be contaminated with a strain of Salmonella Newport, which is proving oblivious to any medications, making the risk of complications more severe.