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Topps Recalls Frozen Beef Patties

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The Associated Press

Published: September 27, 2007

TRENTON, N.J. - Twenty-one people in eight states may have fallen ill after eating hamburgers possibly contaminated with E. coli bacteria, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.

CDC spokeswoman Lola Russell said three cases, two in New York and one in Florida, are confirmed as being linked to the ground beef, with the other 18 cases possibly linked and under investigation.

No one has died, but Russell said she had no additional information on the cases.

Elizabeth-based Topps Meat Co. announced a recall Tuesday for boxes of frozen hamburgers it distributed. The recall affects 331,582 pounds of frozen beef patties and 21 products that were distributed nationwide, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Topps said.

Russell and USDA spokeswoman Amanda Eamich said the illnesses were reported in Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

In Florida, the parents of a 15-year-old Fort Lauderdale girl sued Wal-Mart Stores on Wednesday, alleging she suffered kidney failure in August after eating a Topps hamburger patty tainted with E. coli that her mother bought at Wal-Mart.

Samantha Safranek's attorney, Scott J. Schlesinger, said she nearly died and was hospitalized for three weeks with intense pain, cramping, diarrhea, fatigue and dehydration.

Topps spokeswoman Cortney McMahon said officials continue working to find the cause of the contamination.

'That investigation is still ongoing,' McMahon said. 'Topps is going to fully cooperate with the USDA.'

Contaminated burgers were found in one New York victim's home freezer by health officials.

The company is the leading U.S. manufacturer of frozen hamburgers and this is the first recall in its 65-year history.

RECALLED

•Beef boxes with the number 'Est. 9748' inside the USDA mark of inspection.

Including some but not all:

•10-pound boxes of Butcher's Best 100% All Beef Patties

•10-pound boxes of Kohler Foods burgers

•10-pound boxes of Sand Castle Fine Meat

•2-pound boxes of Topps 100% Pure Ground Beef Hamburgers

•3-pound boxes of Topps 100% Pure Ground Beef Hamburgers

FOR INFORMATION

Go online to www.topps meat.com

The Associated Press

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