Stew Leonard's Ground Beef

TOPPS HAMBURGERS RECALL AND E. COLI OUTBREAK: On the heals of the recall of ground beef below, Topps Meat Company recalled 21.7 million pounds of hamburgers in one of the largest recalls of ground beef in history. Read about the Topps hamburger recall and Topps hamburger lawsuit information.

STEW LEONARD'S GROUND BEEF RECALL PROMPTED BY 3 CASES OF E. COLI O157:H7

Below is a press release regarding the Stew Leonard's ground
beef recall. The recall was prompted by 3 cases of E. coli O157:H7 associated with eating ground beef from the Stew Leonard's Yonkers store. The three people sickened are from the same family. Read Stew Leonard's lawsuit and lawyer information.

Pritzker | Ruohonen, a leading E. coli litigation law firm, is reprinting the Stew Leonard's press release as a public service. To contact an E. coli lawyer at Pritzker | Ruohonen, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm's online consultation form.

STEW LEONARD’S YONKERS STORE INITIATES VOLUNTARY RECALL ON 96% LEAN GROUND ROUND BEEF

YONKERS, N.Y., Sept. 12, 2007 – Stew Leonard’s Yonkers store is voluntarily recalling 96% Lean Ground Round because of possible contamination with Escherichia coli 0157:H7 bacteria. No other Stew Leonard’s location is affected by this recall.

The package of ground beef in question was purchased on July 21, 2007, but out of an abundance of caution, the company is recalling all Stew Leonard’s 96% Lean Ground Round that was purchased between June 30, 2007 and August 1, 2007. Customers who purchased this specific product during this time period from the Stew Leonard’s Yonkers store location, and who have frozen it for later use, should return it to the store for a full refund. [Note from Pritzker | Ruohonen: if someone ate some of the beef, DO NOT RETURN IT TO THE STORE because it may be evidence. Store it in the refrigerator for 10 days from the last day someone ate any of the beef. It should be labeled "DO NOT EAT." Anyone who ate the beef should watch for E. coli symptoms for 10 days.]

Stew Leonard’s took its voluntary step after learning that three confirmed cases of E. coli 0157:H7, from the same family, occurred after eating undercooked 96% Lean Ground Round. [Note from Pritzker | Ruohonen: For legal purposes, it is irrelevant that the meat was "undercooked."] Stew Leonard’s purchases the beef used in this specific blend from two different suppliers, both of whom are inspected by the USDA, and grinds it fresh in the store daily. Health officials believe that the source of the E. coli did not originate from Stew Leonard’s and a full inspection showed that the meat department met or exceeded all health and safety regulations. There have been no other reported incidences of E. coli infection from ground beef in the surrounding area during the time when the product was purchased.

"Customer safety is our top priority and we take seriously any reported incident of food contamination. That is why as a precautionary measure, we are advising customers not to use any remaining 96% Lean Ground Round that was purchased at our Yonkers store between June 30, 2007 and August 1, 2007," said Stew Leonard, Jr., President and CEO of Stew Leonard's. "We also continually urge our customers to always cook hamburger meat to an internal temperature of 160 degrees, which immediately kills any bacteria."

E. coli are bacteria that normally live in the intestines of humans and animals. Although most strains of this bacteria are harmless, several are known to produce toxins that can cause diarrhea. The specific strain E. coli 0157:H7 is marked by severe cramping and diarrhea. In rare cases, the bacteria can be fatal for young children or elderly people with weakened immune systems. To be sure E. coli bacteria and pathogens are destroyed, all ground beef products should be cooked to an internal temperature of 1600 F (use a food thermometer to be sure) and all food, including leftovers, should be refrigerated or frozen within two hours or sooner.

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