US: Company recalls meat sent to NM businesses

[December 18, 2010]  ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture says a company is recalling thousands of pounds of meat sent to businesses in New Mexico.

The agency's Food Safety and Inspection Service said Friday that Dallas-based Winn Meat Co. was recalling 25,600 pounds of ground beef products that were improperly labeled and potentially adulterated.

The agency says in a statement that the meat posed a low health risk and it has received no reports of illness linked to it.

But it says the recall was necessary because the meat was sent to non-federally inspected establishments where it cannot be verified that sufficient further processing occurred to remove possible pathogens.

An agency release says each 60-pound box has the number "EST. 2338" and the case code "506093."

It says the ground beef products were distributed to restaurants, central kitchens, and caterers throughout the state.

Winn and affiliated Ben E. Keith Foods didn't immediately return phone message left for comment Friday night.

[Associated Press]

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