Extension Expert Available to Discuss Hamburger Recall
December 16th, 2011A University of Maine Cooperative Extension food-safety specialist is available to discuss Thursday’s announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that Scarborough-based Hannaford supermarket chain is recalling an undetermined amount of hamburger sold in October and November, which could still be in consumers’ freezers.
The ground beef products may be contaminated with a strain of Salmonella Typhimurium, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced. Ten of 14 recently reported cases of food poisoning are believed to be a result of ground beef purchased in stores in Maine, New York, New Hampshire and Vermont between Oct. 12 and Nov. 20. None of the cases were reported as fatal.
Products subject to recall are any size package of 73-percent-to-90-percent Hannaford ground beef, including 80-, 90- and 95-percent Taste of Inspirations Angus ground beef and 85- and 90-percent Nature’s Place ground beef.
The various ground beef packages bear sell-by dates of Dec. 17, 2011 or earlier. The USDA and Hannaford are concerned that some product may be frozen and in consumers’ freezers, they said in a news release.
Jason Bolton, a food-safety specialist in the Penobscot County Extension office, can be reached at (207) 233-2569.
Tags: food recall
Posted in Food Safety
