Connecticut beef recalled for possible E. coli contamination

Monday, October 23rd 2006, 9:33 pm

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A Connecticut company is recalling about 1,680 pounds of ground beef products because they could be contaminated with a dangerous strain of E. coli, the government said Monday.

The government said no illnesses have been reported from consumption of the beef subject to the recall.

Omaha Beef Co. Inc. of Danbury, Conn., produced the hamburger patties and bags of hamburger Oct. 18 and sent it to restaurants in Connecticut and southern New York state, the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service said.

The affected beef was packaged in 10-pound boxes of "HAMBURGER PATTIES, OMAHA BEEF CO., INC." and in 5- and 10-pount bags of "HAMBURGER, OMAHA BEEF CO., INC." The packages have the establishment number "Est. 2769" inside the U.S. Department of Agriculture mark of inspection and the case code 101861.

Customers who bought the products affected by the voluntary recall should return them to the place of purchase, the service said.

E. coli lives in the intestines of cattle and other animals and typically is linked to contamination by fecal material. It's believed responsible for about 60 deaths and 73,000 infections a year in the United States. The potentially deadly strain can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration.

The very young, the old and people with compromised immune systems are the most at risk.