Over the last few days we have been contacted by several people who suspect that they or a family member has been sickened by tainted hamburger.  Not surprisingly, United Food Group, LLC, a Vernon, Calif., establishment, is voluntarily expanding its June 3 recall of ground beef products because they may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.

A link between illnesses in several states and the ground beef subject to recall was determined through an investigation carried out by the California Department of Health Services and the Colorado Department of Health, in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The expanded recall totals approximately 370,000 pounds.

The ground beef products in the expanded recall were produced on April 13, while the products subject to the original recall were produced on April 20. The ground beef products were shipped to retail distribution centers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.  The recalled products were available at Albertson’s, Basha’s, Grocery Outlet, Fry’s, “R” Ranch Markets, Sam’s Club (California, Arizona and Nevada Clubs only), Save-A-Lot, Save-Mart, Scolari’s Wholesale Markets, Smart and Final, Smith’s, Stater Bros. and Superior Warehouse

The labels of the products subject to recall bear the establishment number “EST. 1241” inside the USDA mark of inspection or printed on the package. All of the products bear a sell-by date of “APR/29/07,” “APR/30/07” or “May/06/07,” a freeze-by date of “APR/28/07,” “APR/29/07,” “APR/30/07” or “May/07/07,” or a produced on date of “APR/13/07” or “APR/20/07.”

The list is inclusive of products included in both the original and expanded recall actions.

* 5-pound chubs of “1ST STREET 73/27 ground beef.”
* 3-pound chubs of “BASHAS 73/27 ground beef.”
* 1-pound chubs of “SIR BASHA 90/10 ground beef.”
* 5-pound chubs of “INTER-AMERICAN PRODUCT 73/27 ground beef.”
* 1-pound chubs of “INTER-AMERICAN PRODUCTS 80/20 ground beef.”
* 2-pound chubs of “INTER-AMERICAN PRODUCTS 93/7 ground beef.”
* 1-pound chubs of “STATER BROS. MARKET 73/27 ground beef.”
* 3-pound chubs of “STATER BROS. MARKETS 73/27 ground beef.”
* 1-pound chubs of “MORAN’S All Natural 73/27 ground beef.”
* 3-pound chubs of “MORAN’S All Natural 73/27 ground beef.”
* 5-pound chubs of “MORAN’S All Natural 73/27 ground beef.”
* 10-pound casings of “MORAN’S All Natural, 73/27 fine ground beef.”
* 10-pound casings of “MORAN’S 73/27 coarse ground beef.”
* 10-pound casings of “MORAN’S 75/25 fine ground beef.”
* 3-pound chubs of “MORAN’S All Natural 80/20 ground beef.”
* 1-pound chubs of “MORAN’S All Natural 80/20 ground chuck.”
* 10-pound casings of “MORAN’S 80/20 coarse ground chuck.”
* 10-pound casings of “MORAN’S 80/20 fine ground chuck.”
* 10-pound casings of “MORAN’S All Natural 81/19 fine ground beef.”
* 2-pound chubs of “MORAN’S All Natural 85/15 ground beef.”
* 3-pound chubs of “MORAN’S All Natural 85/15 ground beef.”
* 10-pound casings of “MORAN’S 85/15 coarse ground beef.”
* 10-pound casings of “MORAN’S 85/15 fine ground beef.”
* 1-pound chubs of “MORAN’S All Natural 85/15 ground round.”
* 10-pound casings of “MORAN’S All Natural 85/15 coarse ground round.”
* 10-pound casings of “MORAN’S All Natural 85/15 coarse ground sirloin.”
* 10-pound casings of “MORAN’S All Natural 85/15 fine ground sirloin.”
* 10-pound casings of “MORAN’S 90/10 fine ground beef.”
* 1-pound chubs of “MORAN’S All Natural 90/10 ground sirloin.”
* 1-pound chubs of “MORAN’S All Natural, 90/10 fine ground sirloin.”
* 10-pound casings of “MORAN’S All Natural, 90/10 fine ground sirloin.”
* 10-pound casings of “MORAN’S 90/10 coarse ground sirloin.”
* 2-pound chubs of “MORAN’S All Natural 93/7 ground beef.”
* 2-pound chubs of “MORAN’S All Natural 93/7 fine ground beef.”
* 10-pound casings of “MORAN’S 93/7 coarse ground beef.”
* 10-pound casings of “MORAN’S 93/7 fine ground sirloin.”
* 5-pound chubs of “MORAN’S 95/5 fine ground beef.”
* 1-pound chubs of “MORAN’S All Natural 96/4 ground beef.”
* 2-pound chubs of “MORAN’S All Natural 96/4 ground beef.”
* 10-pound casings of “MORAN’S All Natural 96/4 fine ground beef.”
* 5-pound chubs of “MORAN’S All Natural 96/4 fine ground beef.