Illinois firm recalls beef patties on E.coli scare

An unidentified shopper looks over the meat selection at a local grocery store in Chicago, December 24, 2003. J&B Meats Corp. is recalling 173,554 pounds (78.7 tonnes) of frozen ground beef products sold under ''Topps'' and ''Sam's Choice'' labels due to possible E. coli contamination, the U.S. government said this weekend.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - J&B Meats Corp. is recalling 173,554 pounds (78.7 tonnes) of frozen ground beef products sold under "Topps" and "Sam's Choice" labels due to possible E. coli contamination, the U.S. government said this weekend.

The Coal Valley, Illinois-based company produced the patties in June and distributed them to retail stores nationwide, the U.S. Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service, or FSIS, said in a statement.

Agribusiness giant Cargill Inc recalled about 844,812 pounds (383 tonnes) of frozen beef patties due to possible E. coli contamination earlier this month.

Symptoms of E. coli 0157:H7 illness -- the strain associated with the recall -- include potentially severe stomach cramps and diarrhea.

The products subject to the latest recall include two-, three-, and eight-pound boxes of beef burgers.

FSIS said the potential problem was discovered after it received a complaint about illness. Consumers with questions should contact the company at 888-734-0451.