RI illnesses reported in beef recall

SCARBOROUGH, Maine (AP/WPRI) — Hannaford Supermarkets is alerting consumers that Cargill Beef is voluntarily recalling 29,339 pounds of ground beef that may contain salmonella.

The 85-percent-lean ground beef was produced at Cargill's plant in Wyalusing, Pa., on May 25, and repackaged for sale to consumers by customers of the Kansas-based company.

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The products subject to recall bears the establishment number " EST. 9400" inside the USDA mark of inspection.  While the use-by date has passed and these products are no longer available for retail sale, Food Safety and Inspection Service and the company are concerned that some product may be frozen in consumers’ freezers.

FSIS became aware of the problem during the course of an ongoing investigation of a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella involving 33 case-patients from seven states including, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York and Vermont.

Cargill President John Keating says in a statement, "Food borne illnesses are unfortunate and we are sorry for anyone who became sick from eating ground beef we may have produced."

Hannaford's says consumers should check their ground beef for "use or sell by" dates between May 29 and June 16. Refunds will be offered for ground beef with those dates that is returned.

Additional information is available at the U.S. Department of Agriculture recall website at: www.fsis.usda.gov/FSIS_Recalls/index.asp .