WASHINGTON, June 29 (UPI) -- Hundreds of thousands of pounds of frozen meat is being recalled because of possible E.coli bacteria contamination.
Stampede Meat, Inc., of Chicago, is voluntarily recalling 739,000 pounds of frozen beef products produced between March 17 and March 23, 2003, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Sunday.
All the products have the code "EST.19113," and were distributed throughout the U.S. and Canada via retail stores, restaurants, institutions and door-to-door sales, the USDA said.
Among the products being recalled are vacuum packaged steaks, the USDA said. Although steaks are not considered a high risk for E.coli contamination, they were injected with tenderizers and flavor enhancing solutions that may have transferred the deadly bacteria into the meat.
The recall was initiated after public health officials linked Stampede's meat to five E.coli illnesses in Minnesota, Kansas and Michigan, the government said.
