California company expands beef recall due to E. coli

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Southern California-based meatpacker United Food Group LLC said it was expanding a recall to include an additional 370,000 pounds of ground beef believed to be contaminated with the potentially deadly E. coli bacteria.

United Food said the recall was expanded from 75,000 pounds due to "concerns raised by the California Department of Health Services."

The products were sold in grocery stores in 11 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

The meat was shipped to Albertson's, Basha's, Grocery Outlet, Fry's, "R" Ranch Markets, Sam's Club (California, Arizona and Nevada), Save-A-Lot, Save-Mart, Scolari's Wholesale Markets, Smart and Final, Smith's, Stater Bros. and Superior Warehouse.

"We have been working closely with the USDA and the California Department of Health Services to ensure that this additional recall is completed successfully," Todd Waldman, senior vice president for United Food Group, said in a statement.

E. coli O157:H7 can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration. Children, the elderly and people with poor immune systems are the most susceptible.

The labels of the products subject to recall bear the establishment number "EST. 1241" inside the USDA mark of inspection or printed on the package. All of the products bear a sell by date of "Apr/29/07" or "Apr/30/07", a freeze by date of "Apr/28/07" or "Apr/30/07" or a produced on date of "April 13-07".

The fresh ground beef in the expanded recall was produced at United Food Group's Vernon, California, plant on April 13 and distributed under the brand names Moran's All Natural, Miller Meat Company, Stater Bros., Inter-American Products, Inc. and Basha's. The beef in the earlier recall was produced on April 20.