RECALL NOTIFICATION REPORT U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE

PRODUCTS RECALLED: Fresh and Frozen Ground Beef Products

PRODUCTION DATES/IDENTIFYING CODES: Produced on May 30, 2003. The products subject to recall bear the establishment code "EST. 5712" inside the USDA mark of inspection. Each product also bears the date code "5630053."

The products subject to recall are:

* 10-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP FROZEN TENDER & JUICY BEEF PATTIES" bearing the code "11344."
* 10-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP FROZEN GROUND BEEF PATTIE" bearing the code "JB0104."
* 24.5-lb. cases of "KEEP REFRIGERATED GROUND BEEF PATTIE" bearing the code "8218."
* 12-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP REFRIGERATED GROUND BEEF PATTIE" bearing the code "1140."
* 20-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP REFRIGERATED GROUND BEEF" bearing the code "8020."
* 20-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP REFRIGERATED GROUND BEEF" bearing the code "8020EC."
* 10-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP FROZEN BEEF STEAK BURGER" bearing the code "J1002."
* 10-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP FROZEN BEEF STEAK BURGER" bearing the code "J1003."
* 10-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP FROZEN BEEF STEAK BURGER" bearing the code "J1004."
* 10-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP FROZEN J-BURGER SEASONED BEEF PATTIE" bearing the code "11372TF."
* 10-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP FROZEN J-BURGER SEASONED BEEF PATTIE" bearing the code "11373TF."
* 10-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP FROZEN J-BURGER SEASONED BEEF PATTIE" bearing the code "11374TF."
* 10-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP FROZEN BEEF PATTIE WHOPPER" bearing the code "11364AW."
* 10-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP FROZEN BEEF PATTIE" bearing the code "1136EC."
* 10-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP FROZEN GROUND BEEF PATTIES" bearing the code "JB0704W."
* 10-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP FROZEN GROUND BEEF PATTIE" bearing the code "11323."
* 10-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP FROZEN 100% PURE BEEF PATTIE" bearing the code "11393."
* 10-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP FROZEN TENDER & JUICY BEEF PATTIES" bearing the code "11343."
* 12-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP REFRIGERATED HEART OF AMERICA CHUCK PATTIE GROUND BEEF CHUCK PATTIE" bearing the code "4002HA."
* 20-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP REFRIGERATED GROUND BEEF" bearing the code "8515."
* 12-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP REFRIGERATED GROUND BEEF PATTIE" bearing the code "1142."
* 12-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP REFRIGERATED GROUND BEEF PATTIE" bearing the code "1143."
* 12-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP REFRIGERATED GROUND BEEF PATTIE" bearing the code "1144."
* 12-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP REFRIGERATED GROUND BEEF PATTIE" bearing the code "1144R."
* 20-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP FROZEN GROUND BEEF" bearing the code "8020ECF."
* 20-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP FROZEN BEEF PATTIE MIX" bearing the code "8020PF."
* 40-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP REFRIGERATED GROUND BEEF COARSE GRIND" bearing the code "291101."
* 10-lb. cases of "J&B BRAND MEATS, CORP., KEEP FROZEN GROUND BEEF PATTIE" bearing the code "11384."

PROBLEM/REASON FOR RECALL: The products may be contaminated with Escherichia coli O157:H7.

HOW/WHEN DISCOVERED: An illness with E. coli O157:H7 in the State of Wisconsin triggered an investigation by the State of Wisconsin's Department of Health and resulted in sampling ground beef products from the recalling firm below. The sampling by Wisconsin's Agriculture Laboratory turned positive results for E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef that were reported to the Food Safety and Inspection Service, FSIS, on 8/22/2003. Accordingly, upon FSIS's notification of the positive lab results, the firm initiated the recall action voluntarily. At present, there is no definitive link implicating the recalled products to the illnesses; however, FSIS is continuing its investigation.

FEDERAL ESTABLISHMENT: 05712 M J & B Meats Corp. 2302 First Street Coal Valley, IL 61240

CONSUMER CONTACT: Mr. Jeff Jobe, President, 309-799-7341

MEDIA CONTACT: Mr. Jeff Jobe, President, Vice President of Customer Relations, 309-799-7341

QUANTITY RECALLED: Approximately 76,000 pounds

DISTRIBUTION: Nationwide

RECALL CLASSIFICATION: Class I

RECALL NOTIFICATION LEVEL: Wholesale to distribution centers

PRESS RELEASE: Yes

DIRECT NOTIFICATION MEANS: The firm has notified its customers orally and will follow up in writing.

FSIS FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES: Effectiveness checks by the FSIS, Office of Field Operations (OFO).

OTHER AGENCIES INVOLVED: Wisconsin

FSIS CONTACTS: FSIS Recall Coordinator: (614) 833-1405 Consumer Inquiries: 1-800-535-4555 Media Inquiries: 202-720-9113 Congressional Inquiries: 202-720-3897 Recall Management: 202-690-6389 Web site: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/recalls/rec_intr.htm

DATE OF RECALL MEETING: August 22, 2003

RECALL CASE NUMBER: 041-2003

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