Recalling of Ground Beef

Tyson, the biggest meat processor in the United States is recalling 131,300 pounds of ground beef due to E.coli fears, say US food inspectors. The ground beef -- enough for more than half a million hamburgers -- was sold with a best-before date of September 12, but the Department of Agriculture fears that much of it may have been frozen by consumers for later use.

In a statement, it said its food safety and inspection service "strongly encourages consumers to check their freezers and immediately discard any product subject to this recall."

Triggering the New York-to-Texas recall was the discovery of e.coli bacteria in ground beef consumed by a Cincinatti area family that fell ill in mid-September.

One member of the stricken family was a child who spent 10 days in hospital, the Cincinanati Enquirer newspaper reported, quoting a county public health official.

Symptoms of e.coli poisoning include diarrhea, dehydration and, in very severe cases, kidney failure.

Tyson is also the biggest exporter of meat from the United States, but a spokesman at its headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas said none of the recalled ground beef was sold abroad.

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Source-AFP