WASHINGTON – Nebraska Beef Ltd. is recalling about 531,707 pounds of ground beef components that may be contaminated E. coli O157:H7, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said late Monday.

The problem was discovered as part of an investigation into an E. coli outbreak that has sickened 35 people in Michigan and Ohio, the agency said.

Kroger brand ground beef samples were collected by the Michigan and Ohio Departments of Agriculture and Health from patients in Michigan and Ohio. Omaha-based Nebraska Beef, was identified as a common supplier to those stores in addition to two federally inspected establishments where FSIS obtained a positive ground beef sample that was matched to the outbreak strain identified in Michigan and Ohio.

Kroger has already recalled the beef products in question.

The FSIS said that the following products are subject to the recall:

•           Combo bins of "Coleman 75/25 Trim." The shipping containers bear the case code "38097," and were produced on June 17. These products were sent to an establishment in Colorado for further processing.

•           Combo Bins of "Coleman Plate Navel Combo." The shipping containers bear the case code "38044," and were produced on June 17 and 24. These products were sent to an establishment in Texas for further processing.

•           60-pound boxes of "Nebraska Beef, Beef Chuck." The boxes bear the case code "10260," and were produced on May 19. These products were distributed to wholesalers in Illinois, Michigan, New York and Pennsylvania.

•           60-pound boxes of "Nebraska Beef, Beef Chuck." The boxes bear the case code "10263," and were produced on May 19. These products were distributed to wholesalers in New York.

•           60-pound boxes of "Nebraska Beef, Beef Knuckle." The boxes bear the case code "46140," and were produced on June 9. These products were distributed to wholesalers in Illinois and New York.

•           60-pound boxes of "Nebraska Beef, Beef Clod." The boxes bear the case code "13060," and were produced on June 9. These products were distributed to wholesalers in Illinois.

Products that were sent on for consumer purchase and also subject to recall are:

•           Combo bins of "Coleman 85/15 Chuck." The shipping containers bear the case code "63503," and were produced on June 17 and June 24.

•           Combo bins of "Coleman 85/15 Shank." The shipping containers bear the case code "26442," and were produced on June 17.

•           Combo bins of "Coleman 80/20 Beef Trim." The shipping containers bear the case code "39521," and were produced on June 17.

•           Combo bins of "Coleman 91/9 Trim." The shipping containers bear the case code "54674," and were produced on June 17 and June 24.

•           Combo bins of "Coleman 85/15 Shank Combo." The shipping containers bear the case code "2644211," and were produced on June 24.

•           Combo bins of "Nebraska Beef Front Shank." The shipping containers bear the case code "67200," and were produced on May 16, June 9, June 17 and June 24.

•           Combo bins of "Nebraska Beef Hind Shank." The shipping containers bear the case code "67100," and were produced on May 16, June 17 and June 24.

•           Combo bins of "Nebraska Beef Rose Meat." The shipping containers bear the case code "58860," and were produced on May 16 and June 24.

•           Combo bins of "Nebraska Beef Heel Meat." The shipping containers bear the case code "66800," and were produced on June 24.

•           Combo bins of "Nebraska Beef Loin Trimmings." The shipping containers bear the case code "66900," and were produced on June 24.

•           Combo bins of "Nebraska Beef Chuck Trim Neck." The shipping containers bear the case code "67300," and were produced on June 24.

•           Combo bins of "Nebraska Beef Chuck Trim 70%." The shipping containers bear the case code "67400," and were produced on June 24.

•           Combo bins of "Nebraska Beef, Special Trim." The boxes bear the case code "56060," and were produced on May 16.

The FSIS said that the illnesses were linked through the epidemiological investigation and by their PFGE pattern, or DNA fingerprint, found in PulseNet, a database maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Source: Food Safety and Inspection Service