--Cargill recalls 29,339 pounds of ground beef tied to
outbreak
--Five illnesses linked to salmonella outbreak
--Cargill investigates source of salmonella contamination
(Updates to add comment from Cargill in fifth paragraph)
By Bill Tomson
WASHINGTON--Five people have gotten sick from eating
salmonella-contaminated ground beef linked to meat from a
Pennsylvania plant owned by Cargill Inc., one of the largest U.S.
meat-packing companies, according to the U.S. Department of
Agriculture.
Cargill is recalling 29,339 pounds of the meat that was produced
on May 25 and shipped to distribution points in Connecticut, Maine
and New York.
The USDA said it made the connection between the five illnesses
and the Cargill ground beef while investigating a larger salmonella
outbreak involving 33 illnesses in seven states.
Of the five people it linked to the Cargill meat, the USDA said,
two were hospitalized.
"Food borne illnesses are unfortunate and we are sorry for
anyone who became sick from eating ground beef we may have
produced," said John Keating, president of Cargill Beef. "Ensuring
our beef products are safe is our highest priority and an
investigation is underway to determine the source of Salmonella in
the animals we purchased for harvest and any actions necessary to
prevent this from recurring."
According to the USDA, "Salmonella infections can be
life-threatening, especially to those with weak immune systems,
such as infants, the elderly, and persons with HIV infection or
undergoing chemotherapy. The most common manifestations of
salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within six
to 72 hours."
Write to Bill Tomson at bill.tomson@dowjones.com
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