Vt. slaughterhouse recalls ground beef

By Gordon Dritschilo Herald Staff

Rutland Herald - Rutland, Vermont

October 17, 2008

FERRISBURG — A local slaughterhouse has recalled 1 ton of ground beef due to an E. coli outbreak, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Thursday evening.

A total of 10 E. coli cases were linked to meat from Vermont Livestock Slaughter & Processing, according to a press release from the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service.

VLS&P owner Carl Cushing said Thursday night that the recall was voluntary and there had not been a single positive test for E. coli on any of the meat. Cushing said he did not know what linked his meat to the outbreak.

"If there's even the slightest chance, we're going to pull it back," said Cushing, who worked as a Vermont state meat inspector for 30 years before taking over the slaughterhouse late last year. "I'm going to overreact, if anything."

A call to the FSIS was not immediately returned Thursday evening.

The company has recalled 2,758 pounds worth of vacuum packages labeled "VT BURGER CO GROUND BEEF." The packages are about 5 pounds each and bear the establishment number "EST. 9558" inside the USDA inspection mark as well as lot codes "090508A," "090808A," "091208A," "091908A" or "092208A."

The product was shipped two packages per box, intended for restaurants, food service and institutional use and not available for direct retail purchase.

The USDA said the beef was produced on five different days in September and shipped to distribution centers that deliver to restaurants and institutions in Vermont and Plattsburgh, N.Y.

Cushing said he conducts his own E. coli tests on random samples of his meat in addition to USDA tests and has never had a positive result.

"It's more than a migraine," Cushing said. "We do everything you could possibly think of, follow all the rules and regulations that I enforced for years."

Cushing said the Depot Street slaughterhouse employs five people and contract slaughters about 12 to 15 beef cattle and 15 to 20 hogs a week. He said he continues to operate during the recall.

The first cases in the outbreak were reported late last week, with additional cases confirmed Wednesday.

E. coli is a bacterium found in the intestines of animals. While most strains are harmless, some can cause food poisoning severe enough to result in kidney failure. State officials said that while one child was hospitalized, all those infected during the outbreak are recovering.

rutlandherald.com