By JACOB LOPEZ
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com
Caviness Beef Packers, LTD., a meat packing firm based in Hereford, Texas, is recalling approximately 23,100 pounds of beef trimmings, according to a press release issued by the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
The affected beef is contaminated with E. coli 0157:H7, according to the information provided by the FSIS.
The contaminated beef was found during a food safety assessment. While much of the product subject to recall tested negative, there were consecutive tests for positive, and much of that was processed into raw ground products to be distributed to retailers, states the press release.
Trevor Caviness, owner and president of Caviness Beef Packers said, “There were some individual lots that were positive, but those positive lots are dealt with …”
Further explaining that those batches are cooked to a degree that any potential strains are killed and the meat is deemed safe for consumption.
Caviness described what is called an “event window.” Within that window, if there are a number of positive results, surrounding lots, even if tested negative, are sent for the cooking process.
These meats are then used for products that do come with cooked meat.
Alexandra Parent, Congressional Public Affairs at FSIS, said “The beef that’s part of this recall did pass negative. However, it was produced in a period of time that had posed positive results from the production lot prior to this lot of beef. Because it is kind of in the higher-risk timeframe, the company did go ahead and volunteer to do this recall.”
A ‘lot’ is number that indicates specifics about batches of a product, making it easier to track those products and their origins — if same product is produced in multiple facilities — in the event of a recall.
The affected beef trimmings were produced on Aug. 14 and 20 of 2014 and includes the following: Combo bins containing “Beef Trimmings, BNLS, 90 L,” and Combo bins containing “Beef Trimmings “Beef Trimmings, BNLS, 84 L.”
These products did make their way to fast food restaurants and some retailers.
The News contacted local retailers to ask if they carry beef product from Caviness Beef Packers. Spokespersons for A&V Lopez, HEB and Walmart indicated that they do not carry Caviness products.
Parent said that the FSIS is working with Caviness to track where the recalled beef has shipped, and it will update the public with a distribution list at: www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.
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