The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a public health alert for raw non-intact beef products derived from imported beef from Ontario, Canada, that has been recalled by Ryding-Regency Meat Packers Ltd. because of possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination.

Ryding-Regency recalled beef products in Canada on Oct. 8. A number of related recalls have been issued. (See links below.)

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is conducting a food safety investigation and has determined that certain products produced by the company may contain O157:H7. While Canada is the recalling authority, FSIS is amplifying the recall through its public health alert.

The CFIA notified FSIS that several shipments of beef implicated in a series of recalls have been exported to the U.S.

FSIS has identified that imported beef manufacturing trimmings produced on May 27 and 30 that are subject to recall were used in the U.S. to produce other raw non-intact beef products distributed for retail sale.

The U.S. companies that produced these raw non-intact beef products have received notice of the recall from Ryding-Regency and FSIS has confirmed that they are following the instructions provided to recall affected products from their customers.

However, retail consumers may not have received such notification.

The following products have been identified as part of the Canadian recall and were distributed to institutions and retailers in Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont:

• 10-lb. cardboard box packages containing bulk plastic-wrapped raw frozen ground beef gyros labeled “DEVANCO FOODS CHICAGO’S FAVORITE” GYROS SLICES (STRIPS) with a case code 159 19.
• 10-lb. cardboard box packages containing bulk plastic-wrapped raw frozen ground beef gyros labeled “KRONOS HALAL GYROS STRIPS” HALAL CERTIFIED BEEF GYROS UNCOOKED, IQF STRIPS with a case code 19 159.
• Retail sized (8 patties) cardboard box packages containing “ZIYAD PREMIUM QUALITY Beef Hamburger Patties” with a case code 911541.021541.
• Retail sized (8 kabobs) cardboard box packages containing “ZIYAD PREMIUM QUALITY Uncooked Kufta Kabob” with a case code 911154.021154.
• 8-lb. cardboard box packages containing bulk plastic-wrapped raw frozen ground beef patties labeled “Shop Right 100% PURE QUARTER POUND Ground Beef Hamburgers” and a sell-by date of 060720.
• 3-lb. cardboard box packages containing plastic wrapped raw frozen ground beef patties labeled “Shop Right 100% PURE Ground Beef Hamburgers” and a sell-by date of 060720.
• 2-lb. cardboard box packages containing plastic wrapped raw frozen ground beef patties labeled “LANDIS BRAND 100% ALL BEEF PATTIES 8 Quarter Pound Patties” and a sell-by date of 060720.

FSIS is concerned that some product may be in institutional or consumers’ freezers.  Institutions that have these products are urged not to serve them and consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

 E. coli O157: H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. The very young, seniors and persons with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness.

FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160 degrees F. The only way to confirm that ground beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature.