Since the spring of 2007, the following E. coli O157:H7, Class I Recalls have been announced – amounting to over 39,000,000 pounds – 19,500 tons – of E. coli-tainted meat being recalled. Hundreds have been sickened, many seriously.  The latest recall by S&S Meats of 153,630 pounds has been linked to as many as 70 Boy Scouts’ illnesses. The list of recalls:

Tyson Fresh Meats 3/2/07 16,743 FSIS Recall – E coli
Richwood Meat Company 4/20/07 107,943 FSIS Recall – E coli
HFX, Inc 4/20/07 259,230 FSIS Recall – E coli
PM Beef Holdings 5/10/07 117,500 FSIS Recall – E coli
Davis Creek Meats 5/11/07 129,000 FSIS Recall – E coli
Tyson Fresh Meats 6/8/07 40,440 FSIS Recall – E coli
United Food Group 6/3-6/9/07 5,700,000 FSIS Recall – E coli
Abbott’s Meat Inc 7/21/07 26,669 FSIS Recall – E coli
Custom Pack 7/25/07 5,920 FSIS Recall – E coli
Interstate Meat 8/30/07 41,305 FSIS Public Health Alert – E. Coli
Fairbank Farms 9/5/07 884 FSIS Recall – E coli
Impero Foods 9/29/07 65 FSIS Recall – E coli
Topps Meat Company 10/6/07 21,700,000 FSIS Recall – E coli
Cargill 10/6/07 845,000 FSIS Recall – E coli
J&B Meats 10/13/07 173,554 FSIS Recall – E coli
Arko Veal Co 10/13/07 1,900 FSIS Recall – E coli
Blue Ribbon Meats 10/24/07 8,200 FSIS Recall – E coli
Del Mar Provision Company 10/27/07 50 FSIS Recall – E coli
Totinos/General Mills 11/1/07 3,300,000 FSIS Recall – E coli
Cargill 11/3/07 1,084,384 FSIS Recall – E coli
American Foods Group 11/24/07 95,927 FSIS Recall – E coli
Snapps Ferry 12/17/07 102 FSIS Recall – E coli
Fresh Brands 12/27/07 14,800 FSIS Public Health Alert – E. Coli
Mark’s Quality Meats 1/5/08 13,150 FSIS Recall – E coli
Rochester Meats 1/12/08 188,000 FSIS Recall – E coli
Palama Holdings 5/8/08 68,670 FSIS Recall – E coli
Fairbank Reconstruction Co 5/12/08 22,481 FSIS Recall – E coli
JSM Meat Holdings 5/16/08 undetermined FSIS Recall – E coli
Dutch’s Meats 6/8/08 13,275 FSIS Recall – E coli
Kroger 6/25,7/3 2008 undetermined FSIS Recall – E coli – current
Nebraska Beef 6/30, 7/3 2008 5,300,000 FSIS Recall – E coli – current
S&S Meats 8/6/08 153,630 FSIS Recall – E coli – current

What will it take to get someone to do something to fix a food safety system in the beef industry that is clearly broken?  More illnesses and deaths?  Grandma’s in ICU’s in Georgia and sick Boy Scouts not enough?  What will it take?  One thing for certain, the only person to benefit from this is me!  We have never had more E. coli cases linked to contaminated beef in our office since the Jack in the Box outbreak of 1993.  And, I thought the meat industry did not like me.