Uh Oh, 1 Million Pounds Of Beef Is Contaminated With E. coli

Alright, you know the drill: go to your freezer and look for meat products labeled “EST. 8268,” which is now code for everybody’s favorite stomach bug: E. coli. The Valley Meat Company of California announced this week that they plan to recall nearly one million pounds of ground beef contaminated with the icky stomach bug.

The affected products were made between October 2, 2009 and January 12 and sold in California, Texas, Oregon, and Arizona. Beyond the establishment number EST. 8268, which you can find inside the USDA mark of inspection, you can also look for productions codes 25709 through 01210. The Food Safety and Inspection Service says the following products are affected:

  • (#2155) *IQF* 80/20% BEEF PATTIES 8/1R
  • (#2503) SMASHBURGER 40/7 OZ. – VAC PACK
  • (#2510) IQF 80/20% BEEF PATTIES 2/1 OVAL
  • (#2515) *IQF* 80/20% BEEF PATTIES 2/1 R
  • (#2535) IQF 80/20% BEEF PATTIES 3/1 OVAL
  • (#2545) IQF 80/20% BEEF PATTIES 3/1R
  • (#2575) *IQF* 80/20% BEEF PATTIES 4/1R
  • (#2595) IQF – 80/20% PATTIES 4/1R THIN
  • (#2605) *IQF* 80/20% BEEF PATTIES 5/1R
  • (#2635) *IQF* 80/20% BEEF PATTIES 6/1R
  • (#2668) BEEF CHUCK PATTIES 7 OZ- 21#
  • (#3075) *IQF* 85/15% PATTIES 4/1R USFI
  • (#3090) ‘RPQ’ 85/15 PATTIES 160/4 OZ.
  • (#3325) “RPQ” 90/10 BEEF PATTIES 40/4 OZ
  • (#3350) 90/10% BEEF PATTIES 160/4 OZ.
  • (#3450)SUPREMAS BEEF PATTIES 12/3#
  • (#3519) *IQF* 4/1 SOY PATTIES 80/20%
  • (#3520) *IQF* 5/1 SOY PATTIES 80/20%
  • (#3522) *IQF* 6/1 SOY PATTIES 80/20%
  • (#3675) BEEF SOY PATTIES RETAIL 6/5#
  • (#3700) 73/27% RETAIL PATTIES – 12/3#
  • (#3705) 73/27% RETAIL PATTIES – 6/5#
  • (#3710) 73/27% RETAIL PATTIES – 8/3#
  • (#3715) BIGGER VALLEY BURGER – 6/5#
  • (#3725) 80/20 BIGGER BURGER 12/3#
  • (#3751) 80/20% RETAIL PATTIES 12/3#
  • (#3800) 85/15% RETAIL PATTIES – 12/3#
  • (#3850) BLACK ANGUS BURGER 12/2# BOX
  • (#3875) 93/7% BEEF PATTIES 12/3# RETAIL
  • (#3880) BUTCHER’S CUT 73/27 RETAIL BOXES 8#
  • (#3882) BUTCHER’S CUT 73/27 PATTIES 12/2.5#
  • (#3883) BUTCHER’S CUT 80/20 PATTIES 12/2.5#
  • (#4000) 73/27% GROUND BEEF 10/1#
  • (#4001) 73/27% GROUND BEEF 20/2#
  • (#4005) 73/27% GROUND BEEF – 40/1#
  • (#4015) 73/27% GROUND BEEF 4/5#
  • (#4020) 73/27% GROUND BEEF – 8/5#
  • (#4030) 73/27% GROUND BEEF 4/10#
  • (#4035) 73/27% GROUND BEEF 15/3#
  • (#4300) 80/20% GROUND BEEF 10/1#
  • (#4305) 80/20% GROUND BEEF – 40/1#
  • (#4310) 80/20% GROUND BEEF 4/5#
  • (#4315) 80/20% GROUND BEEF 8/5#
  • (#4325) 80/20% GROUND BEEF – 4/10#
  • (#4326)*FRESH** 80/20% GROUND BEEF 4/10#
  • (#4328)80/20 GROUND BEEF 4/10# WHITE BOX
  • (#4329) ‘RPQ’ 80/20% GROUND BEEF 4/10#
  • (#4335)80/20% GROUND BEEF 2/5# – PRINTED
  • (#4610) 85/15% GROUND BEEF 4/5#
  • (#4615) 85/15% GROUND BEEF 8/5#
  • (#4625) “RPQ” 85/15% GROUND BEEF 4/10#
  • (#4630) 85/15% G B 4/10# CLEAR-generic
  • (#4915) 90/10% GROUND BEEF – 8/5#
  • (#4925) 90/10% GROUND BEEF 4/10# / WHITE
  • (#4930) 90/10% G B 4/10# / CLEAR-generic
  • (#4980) 93/7% GROUND BEEF 4/10#
  • (2714) HEARST 80/20 PATTIES 5/1R -10#
  • (2715) HEARST GROUND BEEF 12/1# RETAIL

FSIS will release a list sometime this week of the retailers who sold the contaminated meat. If you find any in your freezer (really, go look), either throw it out or bring it back to wherever you bought it for a refund.

California Firm Recalls Frozen Ground Beef Products Due To Possible E. Coli O157: H7 Contamination [USDA]
E. coli Recall of 1,000,000 pounds of meat from Valley Meat Company [Marler Blog]

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