(June 7, 2007) -- The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture has announced that Vernon-based United Food Group, LLC has expanded a voluntary recall (begun June 3) of beef products (entire list in link below) that USDA says pose a "high health risk" due to possible E. coli contamination.

The agency's list cites specific items sold under the names Bashas, Sir Basha, Inter-American Product(s), State Bros. Market(s), Moran's. The specific items can be accessed on the following page from www.fsis.usda.gov.

The labels of the products subject to recall bear the establishment number "EST. 1241" inside the USDA mark of inspection or printed on the package. All of the products bear a sell-by date of "APR/29/07," "APR/30/07" or "May/06/07," a freeze-by date of "APR/28/07," "APR/29/07," "APR/30/07" or "May/07/07," or a produced on date of "APR/13/07" or "APR/20/07."The products being recalled should be returned to the point of purchase, USDA says.

The agency release didn't explain why the notification came so long after the items' "freeze-by" dates, but some consumers may have frozen the items...and may have them in their freezers.

USDA says E. coli is a "potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration" with the "very young, seniors and persons with compromised immune systems" the most susceptible to foodborne illness. USDA classifies its recall as "Class I" meaning, "This is a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death."

In a June 6 release, USDA said:

A link between illnesses in several states and the ground beef subject to recall was determined through an investigation carried out by the California Department of Health Services and the Colorado Department of Health, in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The expanded recall totals approximately 370,000 pounds.

The ground beef products in the expanded recall were produced on April 13, while the products subject to the original recall were produced on April 20. The ground beef products were shipped to retail distribution centers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.