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Beef recall: E.coli detected in Kansas firm's ground beef

Beef recall triggered by finding of E. coli. National Beef Packing Co. recalls ground beef shipped around the US, but no reports of illness have been linked to the suspect meat in the beef recall.

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Alex Gallardo/Reuters/File
Beef recall: A bin of ground beef is seen at a meat processing facility in Riverside, Calif., in 2012. A Kansas meat packer has recalled 50,000 pounds of ground beef that may be contaminated with the E. coli bacteria, the US Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service said.
  • By Laurent Belsie Staff writer

[Editor's note: This story was updated Aug. 1 at 11:30 p.m. EDT.]

A Kansas packing company is recalling 50,000 pounds of ground beef shipped around the country because of the threat of E. coli contamination.

The limited beef recall affects a share of consumers who bought ground beef in the past two weeks carrying the National Beef, NatureSource, or NatureWell brands. The affected beef also has been sold by retailers using their own brands, including Winn-Dixie and Bi-Lo.  

The suspect beef was produced on July 18, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), and carries the establishment code  EST. 208A on the USDA inspection label. The recall involves packages with a “freeze by” date between July 18 and Aug. 7. (See the list of specific products below.)

No reports of illness have been linked to the beef, according to the USDA. The E. coli was detected during routine government monitoring and limited to one 10-pound package of ground beef, according to the company, National Beef Packing Co. in Liberal, Kan.

Consumers who think they might have purchased products affected by the beef recall should take the product back to the retailer, says Keith Welty, spokesman for National Beef Packing. They can also call the company toll free at 866-761-9472.

Refunds are handled at the retailer level, he adds.

Winn-Dixie, whose Fresh 93% Lean Ground Beef is part of the recall, is offering to refund affected customers for the entire purchase price.

“We encourage customers to check their refrigerators and freezers for the recalled item and to immediately discard the product or bring it back to their store,” Brian Wright, a company spokesman, said in a statement. “Customers who purchased the product may visit their neighborhood Winn-Dixie to request a full refund, no questions asked.” 

Winn-Dixie's affected ground beef carries a UPC code of 20167100000 or 24370700000. Bi-Lo's Gold Star 93% Lean Ground Beef also has a UPC code of 24370700000.

Here’s a list of all the products involved in the general beef recall:

  • 80 percent lean/20 percent fat fine ground chuck
  • 85/15 fine ground beef
  • 90/10 fine ground beef or sirloin
  • 93/ 7 fine ground beef
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