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Food Safety Works Colorado State University Extension
SafeFood Rapid Response Network

SAFEFOOD NEWS - Fall 1997 - Vol 2 no 1

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The Hudson Foods Recall . . . The Rest of The Story

On August 12, 1997, Hudson Foods, an Arkansas-based firm, voluntarily recalled 20,000 pounds of frozen beef patties that were possibly contaminated with E. coli 0157:H7. By August 15, the recall was expanded. The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said it had determined that possibly contaminated ground beef at the Hudson plant in Columbus amounted to over 1.2 million pounds, production from 3 days.

On August 21, Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman announced the closure of the Hudson Foods Columbus, Nebraska, plant. USDA investigators found evidence of possible hazards to public health from the E. coli 0157:H7 bacterium in other products and the company was unable to satisfy USDA based upon their records. The recall was increased to 25 million pounds of hamburger, which is the largest meat recall in U.S. history (production from approximately 3 months).

What initiated the recall?

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment contacted the USDA after it received reports of illness from several Colorado consumers who ate beef patties in June and July that were distributed by the Hudson Foods Company. Hudson beef patties from freezers of two patients were positive for E. coli 0157:H7 when tested at a FSIS laboratory in Georgia.

On August 12, Colorado public health officials confirmed that 5 of 16 cases of foodborne illnesses were linked to the Hudson frozen beef patties, causing the USDA to call for the initial voluntary recall by Hudson.

While the initial recall included only a few lots of frozen beef burgers, the final recall included all Hudson Foods brand frozen pre-formed beef patties and burgers with Establishment No. 13569 printed inside the USDA inspection seal. This included three products: a) all 3-lb. packages of "Hudson Beef Burgers, Individually Quick Frozen," b) all 3-lb. packages of "Hudson 100% Pure Beef Patties, Individually Quick Frozen," and c) all 15-lb. boxes of "Hudson 60 ¬-lb. Beef Patties, Uncooked Individually Quick Frozen."

With the final recall, Hudson Foods notified all of its customers to immediately stop using its products from the Nebraska plant. These customers included Safeway, Wal-mart, Burger King, Sam's Club, and Boston Market. Consumers were encouraged to return implicated products to the grocery stores or wholesale clubs where they were purchased.

What's next?

The products returned will be sent to a Hudson warehouse in Van Buren, Arkansas. FSIS will collect samples from returned products to determine the extent of the possible contamination and will supervise destruction of the product.

For questions about the recall, phone the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-800-535- 4555. The Hudson Foods Company Consumer hotline number is 1-800-447-2670.

Sources: USDA Release No. 0272.97, Aug. 12, 1997. USDA Release No. 0276.97, Aug. 15, 1997. USDA Release No. 0283.97, Aug. 21, 1997. Reuter's Medical News, Sept. 9, 1997, "Meat Experts Gather to Discuss Food Safety."

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Updated Monday, August 29, 2011