A kind of chilled raw beef product from US suspected to be contaminated with E. coli (O157:H7)

Issue Date 30.5.2019
Source of Information

Centre for Food Safety

Food Product

Chilled raw beef product

Product Name and Description

Product name: US ANGUS PRIME BEEF RIBEYE

Place of origin: US

Packer: Aurora Packing Company, Inc.

Importer: Yata Limited

Use-by-dates: May 7 to 13, 2019

Reason For Issuing Alert
  • The Centre for Food Safety (CFS), through its Food Incident Surveillance System, noted a notice issued by the US authorities concerned that raw beef products might have been contaminated with E. coli (O157:H7) and are being recalled.
  • Preliminary investigation by the CFS found that the above-mentioned local importer was suspected to have imported the affected product into Hong Kong.
Action Taken by the Centre for Food Safety
  • The CFS immediately contacted the importer concerned.
  • Follow-up investigation confirmed that the importer had imported around 150 kilograms of the above affected product. All had been sold out at its outlets.
  • The importer has initiated a recall according to the CFS' advice.
  • The CFS will continue to monitor the incident and take appropriate follow-up action.
Advice to the Trade
  • Stop selling the affected product.
Advice to Consumers
  • Members of the public should stop consuming the product concerned immediately if they have bought it.
  • People can contract E. coli through consumption of contaminated water or undercooked and contaminated foods, resulting in gastro-intestinal diseases. Intestinal bleeding and serious complications such as hemolytic uraemic syndrome may also develop in some people.
  • Enquiries about the recall can be made to the importer's hotline at 2694 1111 during office hours.
Further Information

The CFS press release

Centre for Food Safety
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department
2019-5-30

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