Oklahoma firm recalls beef products might be contaminated

National Steak and Poultry of Owasso, Oklahoma, is voluntarily recalling about 248,000 pounds of beef it said might be contaminated with a strain of E. coli bacteria, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service.

The company and the U.S. Agriculture Department announced the recall on Thursday.

In a recorded telephone message Thursday, the company and Agriculture Department(USDA) said it was recalling various products in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota, Michigan, and Washington state, as they "could potentially be implicated in an outbreak" of illnesses related to E. coli."

The products being recalled include various sizes of the company's "Boneless Beef Sirloin Steak," "Boneless Beef Tips," "Savory Sirloin Tips," "Bacon Wrapped Beef Fillet," "Beef Shoulder Marinated Tender Medallions," "75 percent Boneless Beef Trimmings," "Beef Trimmings" and "Beef Sirloin Philly Steak."

The contamination was discovered during an investigation of the source of a cluster of illnesses in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, South Dakota and Washington state.

The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service found an association between non-intact steaks (blade tenderized prior to further processing) and the illnesses.

The company did not confirm any contaminations at its production facilities, but said it "will err on the side of being cautious" by recalling the products.

The company said the recall is the first in its 30-year history.

Source: Xinhuanet/Agencies