David Goldman, acting administrator of the federal Food Safety and Inspection Service, announced on Saturday that the recall would be expanded to include products with sell-by dates from April 6 to April 20. The beef was distributed by United Food Group LLC, based in California.
Mr. Goldman said that none of the latest batch of suspect beef was in stores now because the product would be well past its expiration date, but that consumers might still have some of the meat at home."It is important for consumers to look in their freezers," he said.
The meat has been blamed for an E. coli outbreak in the Western states that resulted in 14 illnesses, spanning April 25 through May 18. All the patients have recovered.
On Wednesday, United Food Group expanded an initial recall of 75,000 pounds of ground beef, adding an additional 370,000 pounds based on "unspecified concerns" raised by the California State Department of Health Services. This meat had sell-by dates from April 29-May 6.
The recalled products were shipped to stores in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. They were sold under the brand names Moran's All Natural, Miller Meat Company, Stater Bros., Trader Joes Butcher Shop, Inter-American Products Inc. and Basha's.
Customers with questions about the recall can call United Food Group's hot line at 1-800-325-4164. Those with recalled products should either throw the product away or return it to the point of purchase for a refund.