Bigger, riskier plants to get more frequent E. coli checks

0 Comments | USA TODAY, October, 2007 | by Julie Schmit

Federal regulators said Tuesday they'll inspect meat from bigger and riskier plants more often to try to reverse rising E. coli outbreaks in hamburger.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture also reiterated new plans to check that plants have good E. coli controls and to call for some meat recalls more quickly.

The USDA's efforts follow an increase in meat recalls because of contamination with E. coli O157:H7 bacteria, including the second-biggest recall ever for hamburger in September by Topps Meat, and a rise in E. coli-positive tests from ground beef plants this year.

USDA officials said in a press briefing that Topps had stopped following some safety procedures before the E. coli outbreak and the recall of 21.7 million pounds of hamburger.

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