Posted on 12/29/2007 1:02:00 PM PST by KJC1
FORT WORTH -- A refrigerated trailer containing more than 14,000 pounds of ground beef, some contaminated with E. coli bacteria, was stolen Thursday from a Fort Worth meat production company, officials said Friday.
Authorities told the public not to buy beef from roadside stands or in parking lots.
The meat was in a trailer, not hitched to a tractor, on the parking lot of American Fresh Foods, 1301 Northpark Drive, just northeast of downtown off Samuels Avenue. The company sells ground beef to grocery stores and food-service operations.
The thief or thieves must have brought a tractor to haul off the trailer, officials said.
Tim Biela, chief food safety and quality assurance officer for the company, said routine tests had found that a portion of the meat was contaminated by E. coli, so the meat was pulled back from sale.
"For an abundance of caution, we remove the meat and any meat on either side of the production hours," Biela said. "We call it a safety buffer."
Even the uncontaminated beef was close to its expiration date.
"We sell our fresh packaged retail products with a 'use by 10 days from date of production' label," Biela said. "This product was already in the ninth day."
Lt. Dean Sullivan, Fort Worth police spokesman, said police are working with the Department of Agriculture to catch the thief or thieves and recover the beef.
"We are in contact with authorities in Dallas and Broken Arrow, Okla., where there are unconfirmed reports" that people may have bought stolen meat off of a truck, Sullivan said. "That could pose a health problem, and we are getting the message out locally.
"The bottom line is, it's never safe to buy meat on the street."
Products subject to alert
Two-pound packages of 73/27 ground beef, sell-by date of 12-30-07, production times between 14:27 and 15:28.
Two-pound packages of 80/20 ground beef chuck, sell-by date of 12-31-07, production times between 13:40 and 14:27.
One-pound packages of 85/15 ground beef round, sell-by date of 12-31-07, production times between 13:51 and 17:01.
One-pound packages of 90/10 ground beef sirloin, sell-by date of 12-31-07, production times between 13:49 and 15:35.
One-pound packages of 96/04 extra lean ground beef 4 percent fat, sell-by date of 12-31-07, production times between 14:25 and 17:22.
Each package label has the establishment number "EST. 13116" inside the USDA mark of inspection and "American Fresh Foods, Ft. Worth, TX 76102" below the nutrition information.
For more information, call American Fresh Foods, 800-724-1136, or the USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline, 888-674-6854, or go to www.fsis.usda.gov.
Source: American Fresh Foods
Stolen trailer
The meat-filled refrigerated trailer is a white 2000 Great Dane, Maine license plate number 1925071, trailer number Q061232. The company's logo and "XTRA LEASE" are on the side of the trailer.
Source: American Fresh Foods
Even if it wasn't contaminated, I'd say it was.....
How about from guys in overcoats? Seriously, if you're buying your meat in a parking lot, you've either got brain damage or a death wish.
Paulie’s crew strikes again?
...illegal aliens hardest hit.
it is probably for the rest of Vick’s dogs
Uh....Where’s the beef?
“The bottom line is, it’s never safe to buy meat on the street.”
Contaminated? Sure.
Put up a roadside stand with a sign: You Can’t Beat Our Meat!
LOL Right on! But, you know, it’s kind of sad and funny the way it’s OK to lie to the public to keep money from crooks, but it’s not OK to tell the truth to the public to save lives, like the air quality after 9/11.
It's probably re-painted and already over the border as we speak....oops, type.
Leni
Police are investigating a possible link to the theft of a tanker car full of gravy later that same day.
Just Mexico getting ready for the Trans America Highway.
Gotta get good rigs from somewhere that will pass inspection.
Short, funny and apropos.
You win a gold Freepie statuette.
Leni
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