Health officials have found a genetic link between E. coli found in fresh ground beef products distributed by Fairbank Farms, an Ashville, New York, meat distributor and the E. coli that sickened people in  Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and  New Hampshire.  E. coli cases in New York may also be linked to this outbreak.

This is a particularly virulent strain of E. coli O157:H7 that has killed 2 people and sent at least 16 people to the hospital.

Our law firm represents E. coli victims and their families nationwide.  We are currently representing people sickened by E. coli who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), including a 3-year-old boy.  Contact an E. coli lawyer at our firm for a free consultation regarding a Fairbank Farms lawsuit.

This outbreak follows another unrelated E.coli outbreak involving more than 20 students and adults from Lincoln Middle School in Lincoln, Rhode Island who became ill with gastrointestinal symptoms after eating ground beef at Camp Bournedale, a nature camp in Plymouth, MA. Ground beef collected at the camp was the same strain of E. coli O157:H7 confirmed in two of the children. In response to the Lincoln Middle School E. coli outbreak, a ground beef and beef product recall was initiated by South Shore Meats in Brockton, MA last week as a result of the camp related outbreak. The recalled ground beef was distributed in institutional size packages.

Fairbank Farms Recall

Fairbank Farms is recalling multiple trade brands associated with the multi-state outbreak of E.coli O157:H7. Retailers that may have sold ground beef being recalled in Massachusetts include Shaws, Price Chopper, Trader Joe’s and Wild Harvest.

Trader Joe’s

• 1-pound packages of “TRADER JOE’S BUTCHER SHOP FINE QUALITY MEATS GROUND BEEF 85/15.”
• 1-pound packages of “TRADER JOE’S BUTCHER SHOP FINE QUALITY MEATS GROUND BEEF 80/20.”

NOTE: The sell-by dates for the above two products may be October 6 or 7, 2009.

• 1-pound trays of “TRADER JOE’S BUTCHER SHOP FINE QUALITY MEATS GROUND BEEF PATTIES 96/4 EXTRA LEAN.”
• 1-pound trays of “TRADER JOE’S BUTCHER SHOP FINE QUALITY MEATS GROUND BEEF PATTIES 85/15.”

Price Chopper

• 1- and 2.5-pound trays of “PRICE CHOPPER MEATLOAF & MEATBALL MIX.”
• 1-pound trays of “PRICE CHOPPER EXTRA LEAN GROUND BEEF 96/4.”
• 1-pound trays of “PRICE CHOPPER FRESH GROUND BEEF CHUCK FOR CHILI 80% LEAN 20% FAT.”

Lancaster and Wild Harvest

• 1-pound trays of “LANCASTER BRAND 96/4 EXTRA LEAN GROUND BEEF.”
• 1- and 2-pound trays of “LANCASTER BRAND 90/10 GROUND BEEF.”
• 1-pound trays of “WILD HARVEST NATURAL 85/15 ANGUS GROUND BEEF.”

Shaw’s

• 1- and 2-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF 93/7.”
• 1-, 2- and 3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF 80/20.”
• 1- and 3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF 75/25.”
• 1.3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND SIRLOIN BEEF PATTIES 90/10.”
• 1.3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND ROUND BEEF PATTIES 85/15.”
• 1.3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF PATTIES 80/20.”
• 3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF PATTIES FAMILY PACK 80/20.”
• 1-pound trays of “SHAW’S ANGUS GROUND BEEF 85/15.”
• 1-, 2- and 3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND ROUND BEEF 85/15.”
• 1-pound trays of “SHAW’S 90% NATURAL GROUND BEEF.”
• 1-pound trays of “SHAW’S 85% NATURAL GROUND BEEF.”
• 1-, 2- and 3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND SIRLOIN 90/10.”
• 1-pound trays of “MEATLOAF & MEATBALL MIX.”

BJ’s

• 5-pound trays of “FRESH GROUND BEEF, CONTAINS 15 % FAT” patties.
• 3- and 5-pound trays of “LEAN GROUND BEEF, CONTAINS 7% FAT.”
• 2.5-pound trays of “MEATLOAF & MEATBALL MIX.”

Ford Brothers

• 3-pound trays of “FRESH GROUND BEEF, CONTAINS 20% FAT” patties.

Giant

• 1-pound trays of “GIANT EXTRA LEAN GROUND BEEF 96/4.”
• 1-pound trays of “GIANT MEATLOAF & MEATBALL MIX.”
• 1-pound trays of “GIANT NATURE’S PROMISE GROUND BEEF.”
• 1-pound trays of “GIANT NATURE’S PROMISE GROUND BEEF PATTIES.”

Each package bears the establishment number “EST. 492″ inside the USDA mark of inspection or on the nutrition label. These products were packaged on September 15 and 16, 2009, and may have been labeled at the retail stores with a sell-by date from September 19 through 28, 2009, unless otherwise noted above. Consumers should ask at their point of purchase if the products they have are subject to recall. The products were sent to distribution centers, intended for further distribution to retail establishments in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Federal authorities announced today a Fairbanks Farms ground beef recall of 545,699 pounds of ground beef products sold at Trader Joes, Price Chopper, Lancaster and Wild Harvest, Shaw’s, BJ’s, Ford Brothers and Giant retail stores.

The recalled ground beef in this E. coli O157:H7 outbreak is marked with establishment number EST 492 inside the USDA mark of inspection. It was produced September 15 and 16 and has sell-by dates ranging from September 19-28.

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service did not say how many illnesses were associated with the E. coli ground beef recall, but it said a ” cluster of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses” investigated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state health and agriculture departments is involved.

As a public service, national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen Attorneys is reprinting the Fairbanks Farms E. coli recall below, in detail. If you or a loved on has become ill with symptoms of E. coli infection and have reason to believe it may be from eating ground beef from Trader Joes, Price Chopper or the other retailers, see a physician immediately.

For legal information about the Fairbanks Farms ground beef E. coli outbreak, contact an E. coli attorney at Pritzker Olsen, one of the nation’s leading practitioners of food poisoning litigation. We have collected millions of dollars for victims of E. coli O157:H7 and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening complication of E. coli. We currently represent E. coli HUS victims and have been involved as counsel for consumers in nearly all major E. coli outbreaks in the U.S. For a free case consultation regarding a Fairbank Farms lawsuit, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free), or complete our online contact and information form.

Two of our lawyers, Fred Pritzker and Elliot Olsen have taught seminars at national food safety conventions this year on the severity of the E. coli problem in the U.S. food supply and what food companies should be doing to prevent it. Consumers have special legal rights in E. coli ground beef lawsuits because the pathogen is banned from ground beef. As such, it is an adulterant and the liability of selling adulterated food does not stop with the manufacturer.

Consumers should check their freezers for recalled product that may be contaminated by E. coli O157:H7, an organism that survives freezing temperators. Do not try to kill the potentially lethal bacteria through cooking because any handling of the meat in your kitchen could lead to cross-contamination of surfaces and utensils. For evidence purposes, do not discard the meat or return it. Mark it as dangerous and keep it frozen.

Here is the Fairbanks Farms ground beef E. coli recall list:

Trader Joes

• 1-pound packages of “TRADER JOE’S BUTCHER SHOP FINE QUALITY MEATS GROUND BEEF 85/15.”
• 1-pound packages of “TRADER JOE’S BUTCHER SHOP FINE QUALITY MEATS GROUND BEEF 80/20.”
• NOTE: The sell-by dates for the above two products may be October 6 or 7, 2009.
• 1-pound trays of “TRADER JOE’S BUTCHER SHOP FINE QUALITY MEATS GROUND BEEF PATTIES 96/4 EXTRA LEAN.”
• 1-pound trays of “TRADER JOE’S BUTCHER SHOP FINE QUALITY MEATS GROUND BEEF PATTIES 85/15.”

Price Chopper

• 1- and 2.5-pound trays of “PRICE CHOPPER MEATLOAF & MEATBALL MIX.
• 1-pound trays of “PRICE CHOPPER EXTRA LEAN GROUND BEEF 96/4.”
• 1-pound trays of “PRICE CHOPPER FRESH GROUND BEEF CHUCK FOR CHILI 80% LEAN 20% FAT.”

Lancaster and Wild Harvest

• 1-pound trays of “LANCASTER BRAND 96/4 EXTRA LEAN GROUND BEEF.”
• 1- and 2-pound trays of “LANCASTER BRAND 90/10 GROUND BEEF.”
• 1-pound trays of “WILD HARVEST NATURAL 85/15 ANGUS GROUND BEEF.”

Shaw’s

• 1- and 2-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF 93/7.”
• 1-, 2- and 3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF 80/20.”
• 1- and 3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF 75/25.”
• 1.3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND SIRLOIN BEEF PATTIES 90/10.”
• 1.3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND ROUND BEEF PATTIES 85/15.”
• 1.3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF PATTIES 80/20.”
• 3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND BEEF PATTIES FAMILY PACK 80/20.”
• 1-pound trays of “SHAW’S ANGUS GROUND BEEF 85/15.”
• 1-, 2- and 3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND ROUND BEEF 85/15.”
• 1-pound trays of “SHAW’S 90% NATURAL GROUND BEEF.”
• 1-pound trays of “SHAW’S 85% NATURAL GROUND BEEF.”
• 1-, 2- and 3-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND SIRLOIN 90/10.”
• 1-pound trays of “MEATLOAF & MEATBALL MIX.”

BJ’s

• 5-pound trays of “FRESH GROUND BEEF, CONTAINS 15 % FAT” patties.
• 3- and 5-pound trays of “LEAN GROUND BEEF, CONTAINS 7% FAT.”
• 2.5-pound trays of “MEATLOAF & MEATBALL MIX.”

Ford Brothers

• 3-pound trays of “FRESH GROUND BEEF, CONTAINS 20% FAT” patties.

Giant

• 1-pound trays of “GIANT EXTRA LEAN GROUND BEEF 96/4.”
• 1-pound trays of “GIANT MEATLOAF & MEATBALL MIX.”
• 1-pound trays of “GIANT NATURE’S PROMISE GROUND BEEF.”
• 1-pound trays of “GIANT NATURE’S PROMISE GROUND BEEF PATTIES.”