A Chicago food company has recalled approximately 200 pounds of ground beef patties that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) announced Thursday.

The ground beef patties were produced by Columbus Meat Market Inc. on Dec. 27, 2010, and shipped to food-handling establishments in the Chicago area.  Each package label on the suspect patties bears the establishment number “EST. 755” and an identifying pack date of “12/27/10.”

The contamination was discovered through IDOA microbiological sampling, which confirmed a positive result for E. coli O157:H7.

IDOA and the company have received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products.

This is the third major recall in Illinois in recent weeks.  Some 100 people reported becoming ill after eating desserts from an Illinois bakery, Rolf’s Patisserie, that recalled products in December.  Lab tests showed one of the suspect food items to be contaminated with high levels of Staphylococcus aureus (staph infection).

Illinois health officials and regulators are also investigating the Salmonella outbreak involving recalled alfalfa sprouts that has sickened 112 people in 18 states.