Despite a nationwide recall of Topps frozen hamburgers in late September, New Jersey state inspectors announced this past week that they have found more boxes of the recalled hamburgers on store shelves. Topps hamburgers were recalled due to E. coli O157:H7 contamination.
A team of investigators from the Division of Consumer Affairs and state, county, and municipal health agencies have found 141 boxes of the potentially E. coli contaminated Topps frozen hamburgers at 12 stores, all in northern New Jersey, with the exception of one in Gloucester City in Camden County, the state Division of Consumer Affairs said.
“What began with the discovery of recalled hamburgers being for sale at a single store has escalated into a statewide public health issue, and potentially a national issue as well,” New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram said. “It is unacceptable that consumers can walk into a store and find these recalled contaminated products on the shelf, readily available for purchase and consumption, more than one month after the voluntary recall was announced.”
Investigators determined that the stores purchased the hamburgers from the following distributors: Associated Group Grocers of Jamaica, NY; Burris Foods Inc. of Milford, DE; and Jetro Cash and Carry of Jersey City, NJ. They had previously identified Greater New York Frozen Food Distribution Company Inc., of Queens, NY, as one of the distributors.
Subpoenas were also issued in an effort to determine which additional stores have the frozen hamburger patties, as well as when the product was delivered and what steps were taken to inform customers of the hamburger recall.
The recalled hamburgers are sold under the Topps brand name as well as Butcher’s Best, Kohler Foods, Mike’s, Pathmark, Rastelli’s Fine Foods, Roma-Topps, Sam’s Choice, Sand Castle, ShopRite and West Side. All recalled products will have a USDA establishment number of EST 9748 on the back panel of the package and/or in the USDA logo. The recalled products have a “sell by date” or “best if used by date” that falls between September 25, 2007, and September 25, 2008.
Stores and consumers are urged to check freezers for any remaining packages of frozen hamburgers subject to the recall.
For more information about E. coli food poisoning, please see About E. coli and E. coli Symptoms and Complications.
The Law Firm of Eric Weinberg represents victims of recent E. coli food poisoning outbreaks. If you or a loved one has been harmed by E. coli food poisoning, and you have a question about your legal rights, please call us toll free at 1-877-934-6274 for a free case evaluation, or see Free Case Evaluation . To learn more about the Law Firm of Eric Weinberg, please see Food Poisoning Lawyer or E. coli Lawyer .
For recent food poisoning outbreak and food recall news, please see Salmonella Restaurant Outbreak, Pizza Recall, and Giardia Water Boil Notice.
