Public Health Alert After PA Beef Recalled For E.Coli

PENNSYLVANIA — A public health alert has been issued after beef that may be contaminated with E.coli was distributed in 10 states, including Pennsylvania.

The health alert was issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. The agency issued it after frozen hamburgers and beef gyros from Canada-based Ryding-Regency Meat Packers were found to be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

The U.S. companies that produced the beef products have received notice of the recall from Ryding-Regency and authorities say they are following the instructions to recall affected product.

"However, retail consumers may not have received such notification," the Department of Agriculture health alert said.

In addition to Pennsylvania, the products were shipped to retailers in Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The products were sold at ShopRite, among other retailers.

The following products have been recalled:

• 10-lb. cardboard box packages containing bulk plastic wrapped raw frozen ground beef gyros labeled “DEVANCO FOODS CHICAGO’S FAVORITE” GYROS SLICES (STRIPS) with a case code 159 19.
• 10-lb. cardboard box packages containing bulk plastic wrapped raw frozen ground beef gyros labeled “KRONOS HALAL GYROS STRIPS” HALAL CERTIFIED BEEF GYROS UNCOOKED, IQF STRIPS with a case code 19 159.
• Retail sized (8 patties) cardboard box packages containing “ZIYAD PREMIUM QUALITY Beef Hamburger Patties” with a case code 911541.021541.
• Retail sized (8 kabobs) cardboard box packages containing “ZIYAD PREMIUM QUALITY Uncooked Kufta Kabob” with a case code 911154.021154.
• 8-lb. cardboard box packages containing bulk plastic wrapped raw frozen ground beef patties labeled “Shop Right 100% PURE QUARTER POUND Ground Beef Hamburgers” and a sell by date of 060720.
• 3-lb. cardboard box packages containing plastic wrapped raw frozen ground beef patties labeled “Shop Right 100% PURE Ground Beef Hamburgers” and a sell by date of 060720.
• 2-lb. cardboard box packages containing plastic wrapped raw frozen ground beef patties labeled “LANDIS BRAND 100% ALL BEEF PATTIES 8 Quarter Pound Patties” and a sell by date of 060720.

These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase, the public health alert said.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is conducting a food safety investigation into the recalled beef, according to the Department of Agriculture.

E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. The very young, seniors and persons with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness.

The hamburger packages look like this: