Nebraska Beef Ltd. Under Fire For Slow Response To E. coli Report, USDA Says

The federal officials on Monday reported that Nebraska Beef, based in Omaha, Neb., was provided with the reports that two samples at processors that bought the meat from Nebraska Beef may be tainted with E. coli. but still the company responded in a slow manner.

Amanda Eamich, USDA spokeswoman said, Nebraska Beef Ltd. was informed in the first half of June that two Nebraska processing plants has revealed E. coli contamination. Some of the production practices which took place in the slaughter house were insufficient to prevent E. coli bacteria.

On Thursday, the Beef Company voluntarily recalled more than 5 million pounds of meat produced for ground beef between May 16 and June 26 which was expanded from 531,707.

Eamich said, "The establishment didn't take appropriate actions when positives were found."

"It's all about their ability to control E. coli 0157:H7," he said.

Nearly 41 illnesses’ were reported along with dozens of hospitalization in Michigan and Ohio due to tainted beef meat product. Georgia is also experiencing another outbreak and the health officials are trying to track down if the cases are linked to Michigan and central and northern Ohio.

Southwest Georgia Public Health District Deputy Director Brenda Greene, “This appears to be a cluster of E. coli 0157, which is one of the most commonly identified disease-causing groups of this bacteria in the United States.

Public Health became involved after healthcare providers noticed a number of patients were experiencing similar symptoms.”

Greene added, “Investigation is ongoing and we are doing everything we can to find out as quickly as possible what is behind the cluster of illnesses.”

The recalled beef went to businesses in Nebraska, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Illinois and Texas. The slaughter house in Omaha typically slaughters nearly 1,000 head of cattle every day.

Bill Lamson, spokesman for Nebraska Beef says that the company has sought the services of an outside lab to test the products of the company as it moves ahead with the recall.

This is not the first time Nebraska Beef Ltd. is under fire, in year 2003, the USDA tried to close down the Nebraska Beef’s Omaha slaughtering plant after reporting several instances of unsanitary practices, fecal contamination and condensation problems.

In year 2006, officials of USDA and Minnesota public health linked an E. coli outbreak in ground beef that killed a Minnesota woman and sickened 17 to Nebraska Beef. But the company filed a lawsuit against the Salem Lutheran Church of Longville, Minnesota for mishandling the beef product.

The latest Beef recall by Nebraska follows the June 25 recall by Kroger Company. Two lawsuits are filed against the Nebraska Beef and Kroger linked to E. Coli outbreak.

One of the largest U.S. food producers, Cargill last year recalled 840,000 pounds of grounded beef due to E. coli contamination. While in October 2007, 67-year-old company, Topp’s Meat recalled 21.7 million pounds of meat which made the company go out of business.

E. coli or Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium which causes intestinal illness that usually clears up within a week for healthy adults. But it can prove deadly for the older people or individuals with weak immune systems and very young children. The symptoms range from severe abdominal cramps, diarrhea (bloody) and in severe cases, kidney failure.

E. coli bacteria are harbored in the intestines of cattle and improper slaughtering and processing of the cattle can cause the E. coli bacteria to get onto meat. But cooking thoroughly at high temperature of at least 160 degrees can kill the bacteria.

According to the recommendations given by the USDA, people should use a meat thermometer to verify the temperature while cooking. If consumers don’t verify the cooking temperature (160 degree) prior to eating a red or green ground beef than they significantly increase their risk of acquiring E. coli bacterium.

Human to human transmission is also possible if one doesn't practice good hygiene, such as not washing hands properly as the infection transmits easily through unhygienic conditions and personal habits.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) nearly 70, 0000 people are infected with E. coli O157:H7 each year in the United States. Still they are not quite sure about the figure as many people who get sick don’t visit a doctor.