
DATE: Saturday, August 16, 1997             TAG: 9708160296
SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JOHN-HENRY DOUCETTE, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   87 lines

U.S. EXTENDS RECALL OF TAINTED PATTIES 1.2 MILLION POUNDS OF GROUND BEEF RECALLED

The U.S. Department of Agriculture advised consumers Friday to beware of hamburger patties made by Hudson Food Inc. of Rogers, Ark.

More than 1.2 million pounds of the ground beef have been recalled this week from stores in Hampton Roads and around the country.

The USDA says that number may grow as it examines records at the company's Columbus, Neb., processing plant, where the patties were produced June 4, 5 and 9.

The hamburger may be contaminated with E.coli 0157:H7, a potentially deadly bacteria that can cause severe abdominal cramps, bloody diarrhea and dehydration.

``It really is very serious,'' a spokeswoman for the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service said Friday.

``They're in grocery stores and small food establishments,'' she said. ``It's important for someone to ask before they eat somewhere. It's a lot of hamburger.''

News reports said the meat was linked in July to 16 cases of illness in Colorado. However, USDA has confirmed only one such case there. It was reported July 20.

The latest recall is in addition to a voluntary recall of some of Hudson's patties earlier this week. The initial recall warned consumers who had purchased patties since June 4.

According to the USDA, these products are in question:

Three-pound packages of ``Hudson Beef Burgers Individually Quick Frozen'' with lot numbers 156A7 and 156B7.

Fifteen-pound boxes of ``Hudson 1/4-pound Beef Patties Uncooked Individually Quick Frozen'' with the lot number 155B7.

Lot numbers 155A7, 160A7 and 160B7, which may be in 15-pound boxes containing 60 1/4-pound patties.

Lot numbers may be found on the bottom of bags or near the bar code on the side of boxes.

``Our concern is that consumers and the public pay attention to these lot numbers because this is a nationwide recall,'' the USDA spokeswoman said. ``These things are all over.''

The recall has kept wholesale outlets and supermarkets scrambling to get the Hudson products off their shelves.

National Wal-Mart spokeswoman Sharon Webber on Friday said, ``All Hudson Foods frozen beef patties were removed from Wal-Mart Supercenters and SAM's Clubs sales floors until outstanding issues are resolved.''

Ten of the 439 SAM's Clubs in the U.S. are in Virginia. In Hampton Roads, there is a SAM's Club on Battlefield Boulevard in Chesapeake and another in Newport News. There are Wal-Mart Supercenters in Virginia Beach and Hampton.

Supercenters carried the three-pound packages, and SAM's Clubs carried the 15-pound boxes.

A Virginia Beach Wal-Mart Supercenter manager who did not wish to be identified said employees went through the inventory there Thursday but did not have the lot numbers in question.

``If anybody was concerned about it, we'd be glad to take care of the customers,'' the manager said. ``Any customers who are concerned should return the product to the store. We take care of our customers.''

Webber said customers could return any Hudson food product to the Wal-Mart where they purchased it for a full refund.

Hudson Foods is one of the largest meat suppliers in the United States. The company supplies chicken and meat to Boston Market restaurants and beef patties to Burger King.

Burger King said in a Thursday press release that its beef meets ``rigid quality standards'' and, while it did receive beef produced on the dates in question, these patties were manufactured on a different production line from the recalled patties.

However, the company also said it has requested beef produced on the dates in question to be separated from the rest of its stock.

Boston Chicken Inc., parent company of Boston Market, said it has ``absolutely'' no Hudson beef products in its system.

Even the USDA issued a disclaimer Friday. It said none of the recalled meat was purchased by the government for export under federal food programs, for school lunches or to be served to the troops. ILLUSTRATION: TAINTED MEAT

THE PROBLEM: Ground beef patties that may be contaminated by

E.coli bacteria, a potentially deadly bacteria that can cause severe

abdominal cramps, bloody diarrhea and dehydration.

THE PRODUCER: Hudson Foods Co. plant in Columbus, Neb.

LOOK FOR THESE LOT NUMBERS: 156A7, 156B7, 155B7, 155A7, 160A7,

160B7. They can be found embossed on the bottom of the bag, or on

the side of a box near the bar code.

HAVE QUESTIONS?: Call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hot

Line at 1-800-535-4555 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. KEYWORDS: HAMBURGER E COLI RECALL