A California company has decided to expand a recall of its beef products made during a two-week period amidst concerns of E. coli contamination.
A U.S. Department of Agriculture news release Saturday said that to limit any possible E. coli illnesses, about 5.7 million pounds of beef products will now be included in the recall from United Food Group LLC in Vernon, Calif.
The massive recall comes in the wake of the company's previous recalls last Sunday and Wednesday and includes all beef products produced April 6-20.
The products were added to the recall following a recent positive test for E. coli in Arizona, where a patient became ill after ingesting some of the company's fresh-ground beef.
The initial recall was instigated by an investigation by Colorado and California health officials into a spate of illnesses in those states and others between April 25 and May 18.
Those 14 patients have recovered from their illnesses, but their medical conditions helped prompt the first of the company's product recalls.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
