TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Hillsborough Schools Ready To Act On USDA Beef Recall

ADVERTISEMENT

By MARILYN BROWN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 19, 2008

Updated: 02/18/2008 10:56 pm

TAMPA - Hillsborough County school officials are ready to dispose of or return more than 1,600 beef patties recalled Sunday as part of a 143 million-pound frozen beef recall by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The meat has been in school freezers since the beginning of this month, when a California slaughterhouse that supplies beef for school lunch programs came under investigation for animal abuse.

No illnesses have been linked to the recalled meat, but concerns surfaced when undercover video showed crippled and sick animals being shoved with forklifts.

The recall affects beef products dating to Feb. 1, 2006, from Chino-based Westland/Hallmark Meat Co. Two former employees face charges of animal cruelty as the investigation continues.

Hillsborough will be able to use beef products from another manufacturer that have not been recalled and plans to do so within a couple of weeks, said Mary Kate Harrison, the district's general manager for student nutrition services.

Chicken and Cuban pork have been substituted for beef dishes and there have been no complaints about menus, Harrison said.

"It's just the whole issue of food safety per se," Harrison said. "It keeps popping up ... I think they're more worried about the cows. That was the disturbing part."

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report. Reporter Marilyn Brown can be reached at (813) 259-8069 or mbrown@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT