WASHINGTON, August 14, 2012 - Dale T. Smith and Sons Meat Packing, a Draper, Utah establishment, is recalling approximately 38,200 pounds of beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The following products are subject to recall:

• Various weight combo bins of Boneless Beef "50/50," "85/15," "90/10," "93/07" or "95/05" produced on Aug. 7, 2012.
• Various weight boxes of primal cuts, subprimal cuts and boxed beef produced on Aug. 7, 2012.

Each box bears a label with the identifying package date of "08/07/2012" as well as the establishment number "EST. 4975" inside the USDA mark of inspection. The products subject to recall were distributed to wholesale and retail establishments in California and Salt Lake City, Utah. It is important to note that the products were destined for further processing and may not bear "EST. 4975" on the products available for direct consumer purchase. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on FSIS' website at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

The problem was discovered through lab testing conducted by USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service, which confirmed positive results for E. coli O157:H7, and may have occurred as a result of a refrigeration malfunction. The company is recalling all beef products produced on Aug. 7, 2012, because of a strong potential for cross contamination during production. FSIS and the company have received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and to ensure that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers.

E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. The very young, seniors and persons with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness.

FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160° F. The only way to confirm that ground beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature.

Consumers and media with questions regarding the recall should contact the company's Plant Manager, Mike Smith, at (801) 571-3611.

Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at www.AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. "Ask Karen" live chat services are available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

PREPARING GROUND BEEF FOR SAFE CONSUMPTION

Wash hands before and after handling raw meat with warm/hot (preferred) or cold soapy running water by rubbing hands together vigorously for at least 20 seconds. Also wash cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot (preferred), soapy water and clean up any spills right away. The mechanical action of vigorous rubbing of hands and utensils/surfaces creates friction that helps to dislodge bacteria and viruses from hands and surfaces.

Additionally, warm/hot water helps to dissolve fats/foods, aiding in cleaning/microbe removal and can also assist in deactivation of pathogens. For more information on hand washing, go to http://www.cdc.gov/handwashing. If soapy water is not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can reduce the number of germs on hands in some situations. However, sanitizers do not eliminate all types of germs, including viruses.

Keep raw meat, fish and poultry away from other food that will not be thoroughly cooked. Use separate cutting boards for raw meat, poultry, and their juices and thoroughly cooked foods. Thoroughly cook ground meat such as beef to an internal temperature of 160° F, as measured with a food thermometer, before eating. Refrigerate raw meat and poultry within two hours after purchase (one hour if temperatures exceed 90° F). Refrigerate cooked meat and poultry within two hours after cooking.