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Ground Beef Recalled Due to E. coli

Topps Meat Company Recalls More Than 331,000 Pounds of Its Frozen Ground Beef Hamburgers

By Miranda Hitti
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Sept. 26, 2007 -- Topps Meat Co. has recalled more than 331,000 pounds of its frozen ground beef patties because of possible contamination with E. coli bacteria.

According to news reports, the CDC says that two people in New York and one in Florida have been confirmed to have fallen ill due to E. coli bacteria in Topps' tainted ground beef, and 18 other possible cases are still under investigation.

E. coli bacteria can cause abdominal cramps and diarrhea (which may be bloody).Most people recover from E. coli infection within a week and without treatment, but potentially deadly complications may develop in some people. The young, old, and ill are particularly at risk.

(With so many recalls lately, have you stopped eating certain types of foods? Tell us about your fears on WebMD's Health Café message board.)

Topps Recall

The recall only includes certain boxes of the company's Topps, Butcher's Best, Kohler Foods, Sand Castle Fine Meat, and Westside patties and hamburgers.

Here is the full list of Topps recalled products, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA):

10-pound boxes of "BUTCHER’S BEST 100% ALL BEEF PATTIES 75/25, 6 OZ. FLAT, 27 PIECES." Each box bears a sell-by date of "JUL 23 08."
10-pound boxes of "BUTCHER’S BEST 100% ALL BEEF PATTIES 75/25, 4 OZ. (4-1), 40 PIECES." Each box bears a sell-by date of "JUL 23 08."
10-pound boxes of "KOHLER FOODS 4 OZ. FLAT HAMBURGER, CODE: 60100, 40 PCS." Each box bears a sell-by date of "JUL 23 08."
10-pound boxes of "KOHLER FOODS 6 OZ. FLAT HAMBURGER, CODE: 60200, 27 PCS." Each box bears a sell-by date of "JUL 23 08."
10-pound boxes of "KOHLER FOODS 8 OZ. FLAT HAMBURGER, CODE: 60300, 20 PCS." Each box bears a sell-by date of "JUL 23 08."
10-pound boxes of "SAND CASTLE FINE MEAT, 100% PREMIUM BEEF HAMBURGERS 80/20, 8 OZ. FLAT, 20 COUNT." Each box bears a packed-on date of "JUN 22 07."
10-pound boxes of "SAND CASTLE FINE MEAT, 100% PREMIUM BEEF HAMBURGERS 85/15, 6 OZ. FLAT, 27 COUNT." Each box bears a packed-on date of "JUN 22 07."
2-pound boxes of "Topps 100% Pure Ground Beef Hamburgers, 8 Quarter Pounders." Each box bears a sell-by date of "JUL 12 08."
2-pound boxes of "Topps 100% Pure Ground Beef Hamburgers, 3 OZ., 10 COUNT." Each box bears a sell-by date of "JUL 12 08."
3-pound boxes of "Topps 100% Pure Ground Beef Hamburgers, 6 OZ. PUB Burgers." Each box bears a sell-by date of "JUN 22 08."
3-pound boxes of "Topps 100% Pure Ground Beef Hamburgers, 12 Quarter Pounders." Each box bears a sell-by date of "JUN 22 08," "JUL 12 08" or "JUL 23 08."
3-pound boxes of "Topps 100% Pure Ground Beef Hamburgers, 16 Hamburgers." Each box bears a sell-by date of "JUL 23 08."
5-pound boxes of "Topps 100% Pure Ground Beef Hamburgers, 20 Quarter Pounders." Each box bears a sell-by date of "JUN 22 08," "JUL 12 08" or "JUL 23 08."
8-pound boxes of "Topps 100% Pure Ground Beef Hamburgers, 32 Quarter Pounders." Each box bears a sell-by date of "JUN 22 08."
10-pound boxes of "Topps 100% PREMIUM HAMBURGERS 5 OZ. (1/2")." Each box bears a sell-by date of "JUN 22 08."
10-pound boxes of "Topps HAMBURGERS, 3.2 OZ, 50 COUNT." Each box bears a sell-by date of "JUL 12 08."
10-pound boxes of "Topps 100% PREMIUM HAMBURGERS, 8 OZ. (Pub Burger)." Each box bears a sell-by date of "JUL 23 08."
10-pound boxes of "Topps 100% PREMIUM HAMBURGERS, 4 OZ. (4-1) Homestyle." Each box bears a sell-by date of "JUL 23 08."
10-pound boxes of "WESTSIDE, 100% PREMIUM HAMBURGER, 8 OZ FLAT, 20 COUNT." Each box bears a sell-by date of "JUN 22 08."
10-pound boxes of "WESTSIDE, 100% PREMIUM HAMBURGER, 6 OZ FLAT, 27 COUNT." Each box bears a sell-by date of "JUN 22 08."
10-pound boxes of "WESTSIDE, 100% PREMIUM HAMBURGER, 5 OZ FLAT, 32 COUNT." Each box bears a sell-by date of "JUN 22 08."