Kroger joins beef recall

Kroger announced it is recalling ground beef products that might carry E. coli bacteria from its 2,300 stores nationwide, including three Bloomington locations. \nThe grocery chain, the largest in the country, is asking consumers to check for any Kroger brand ground beef dated Nov. 4 through Nov. 22. It can be returned to any store for a full refund or replacement.\n"It's just a precautionary measure," said Gary Rhodes, a spokesman at Kroger's corporate headquarters in Cincinnati. "We are not aware of any confirmed illnesses from any Kroger stores."\nAmerican Foods Group, a Wisconsin-based meat supplier, is recalling about 1.1 million pounds of beef sent to 15 states. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommended the recall Wednesday as a precautionary measure after the Minnesota Department of Health linked an E. coli outbreak to the company. \n"Although no product that came directly from our facility has been found to be contaminated with E. coli, circumstantial evidence raises the possibility that recent serious illnesses may be related to our product," said Carl Kuehne, chief executive officer of American Foods Group, in a written statement. "We are very concerned for the people who have suffered illness and their families." \nWhile Kuehne stresses there is no direct evidence of American Food Group's culpability for the outbreak, he said it would be better to err on the side of caution. \n"American Foods Group wants to assure everyone that product safety and quality are, and always have been, foremost in our operations," he said. "We will continue to cooperate fully with food safety authorities in an effort to identify the source of contamination that caused these illnesses."\nHealth officials recently reported 22 cases of the illness in the Twin Cities area, tracing it back to ground beef sold at local Cub Food stores. Confined to St. Paul and Minneapolis, the cases were all reported between Nov. 11 and Nov. 24.\nThe outbreak has also spread to Wisconsin, where officials identified three residents with diarrhea associated with the same strain of E. coli. Two women in Eau Claire County, Wisc., and a male in Brown County, Wisc., reported diarrhea and stomach cramps, said Jim Ryder, Eau Claire County health officer. \nRyder said the state is still waiting on a bacterial sample from a third woman in Eau Claire who came down with similar symptoms.\nThough no meat samples tested positive for the bacteria, the Minnesota Health Department also fingered American Foods Group for an outbreak in December 1999, during which five people were hospitalized.\nThe onset of illness, Ryder said, can range from two to eight days after eating tainted beef. It can lead to Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, a potentially lethal kidney disease accompanied by bloody diarrhea.\nAnyone exhibiting symptoms of E. coli should immediately consult a physician, Ryder said. It should not be treated with antibiotics, which could cause further complications.\nProper handling of ground beef can avert E. coli infection. According to the USDA, E. coli is destroyed when ground beef is thoroughly cooked to an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees.