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Topps Meat Co. Recalls Product After E.Coli Scare
Jessica Silber
Issue date: 10/10/07 Section: News
Consumers throughout the country may have a new reason to watch what they eat. Topps Meat Company, LLC, of Elizabeth, N.J. has issued two recalls of frozen beef patties due to potential contamination of the E.coli strain O157:H7. The amount of recalled items has ultimately resulted in the closure of the company.
An original recall was issued Sept. 25 for a limited amount of ground beef, according to Topps Meat spokesperson Michele Williams. Williams said there was an extended recall on Sept. 29 for all meat with a sell-by date between Sept. 25, 2007 and Sept. 25, 2008. This amount of beef patties amounted to 331,582 pounds for the first recall, and 21.7 million pounds for the second.
Topps decided to recall the patties after being "alerted to an illness on Aug. 30 where a Topps product had been one of the foods consumed within a 24-hour time frame," Williams said.
"A large number of products were distributed in the Northeast, through national food chains including Wal-Mart," she added. "Some of the infected products were sold through the food service division, which does sell to universities, hospitals, restaurants and things of that nature."
As for the disease itself, a FAQ on Topps' Web site explains that "E. coli O157:H7 produces a powerful toxin and can cause severe illness, kidney failure and even death."
"The symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 are diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea and malaise," according to the Web site. Symptoms can begin two to five days after the food is consumed and can last about eight days.
"Consumers should be looking for a sell-by date between Sept. 2007 and Sept. 2008, as well as an establishment number printed on the back panel," Williams said. "The establishment number for contaminated items is 9748."
Regarding the sale of possibly contaminated meat to UConn, director of dining services Dennis Pierce assured students they have nothing to worry about.
"The university is not affected in any way," Pierce said. "We do not carry Topps products, and during a recall the parties involved are prime vendors - people with contracts with the University."
"UConn burgers come through our main vendor, SYSCO," Pierce added.
In addition, Pierce said UConn also has a resident health inspector on campus inspecting the safety of food items.
However, some students are still concerned about the magnitude of the recall. Julie Ferri, a 3rd-semester undecided major, is still concerned about the possibility of contaminated food finding its way to UConn.
"It really worries me that there's even a slight chance I could get E.coli just from eating a burger from home or even here at a dining hall," she said.
Due to the large amount of meat recalled - the second largest in U.S. history, according to Topps' Web site - the plant has permanently shut down after 67 years of business.
"It's not typical for that to happen," Pierce said. "That they went out of business means the recall must have been very significant."
Contact Jessica Silber at
Jessica.Silber@UConn.edu
An original recall was issued Sept. 25 for a limited amount of ground beef, according to Topps Meat spokesperson Michele Williams. Williams said there was an extended recall on Sept. 29 for all meat with a sell-by date between Sept. 25, 2007 and Sept. 25, 2008. This amount of beef patties amounted to 331,582 pounds for the first recall, and 21.7 million pounds for the second.
Topps decided to recall the patties after being "alerted to an illness on Aug. 30 where a Topps product had been one of the foods consumed within a 24-hour time frame," Williams said.
"A large number of products were distributed in the Northeast, through national food chains including Wal-Mart," she added. "Some of the infected products were sold through the food service division, which does sell to universities, hospitals, restaurants and things of that nature."
As for the disease itself, a FAQ on Topps' Web site explains that "E. coli O157:H7 produces a powerful toxin and can cause severe illness, kidney failure and even death."
"The symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 are diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea and malaise," according to the Web site. Symptoms can begin two to five days after the food is consumed and can last about eight days.
"Consumers should be looking for a sell-by date between Sept. 2007 and Sept. 2008, as well as an establishment number printed on the back panel," Williams said. "The establishment number for contaminated items is 9748."
Regarding the sale of possibly contaminated meat to UConn, director of dining services Dennis Pierce assured students they have nothing to worry about.
"The university is not affected in any way," Pierce said. "We do not carry Topps products, and during a recall the parties involved are prime vendors - people with contracts with the University."
"UConn burgers come through our main vendor, SYSCO," Pierce added.
In addition, Pierce said UConn also has a resident health inspector on campus inspecting the safety of food items.
However, some students are still concerned about the magnitude of the recall. Julie Ferri, a 3rd-semester undecided major, is still concerned about the possibility of contaminated food finding its way to UConn.
"It really worries me that there's even a slight chance I could get E.coli just from eating a burger from home or even here at a dining hall," she said.
Due to the large amount of meat recalled - the second largest in U.S. history, according to Topps' Web site - the plant has permanently shut down after 67 years of business.
"It's not typical for that to happen," Pierce said. "That they went out of business means the recall must have been very significant."
Contact Jessica Silber at
Jessica.Silber@UConn.edu
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