Hamburger recalled by Yuba City grocery

SACRAMENTO - A Yuba City supermarket is recalling hamburger that may be contaminated with bacteria that can cause food poisoning, the California Department of Health Services said Monday.

The meat was sold by the Bel Air supermarket at 1286 Stabler Lane in Yuba City, and had ''sell by'' dates of Aug. 9 and Aug. 10. No other stores are affected by the recall, and no illnesses have been reported, the department said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture notified the department and the Sutter County Health Department on Monday that a random sample of hamburger from the store was found to contain the E. coli bacteria.

Federal, state and county officials are now trying to trace the source of the contamination. The USDA routinely conducts tests at random supermarkets across the nation. .

Approximately 400 pounds of the ground beef was packed at the store in approximately one-pound trays and sold with the following label information:

- Coleman Ground Beef, Does not exceed 12 percent fat, sell by 8-10-00.

- Cert. Angus Beef, Ground Round, Not to exceed 15 percent fat, sell by 8-10-00.

- Porters Ground Beef, Not to exceed 20 percent fat, sell by 8-9-00.

- Ground Round, Not to exceed 15 percent fat, sell by 8-10-00.

Shoppers who bought the meat should return it to the store, the department said. They can call Bel Air's Carolyn White toll-free for further information, at (800) 925-9989 for additional information.

E. coli often causes abdominal cramps and diarrhea. There is usually little or no fever and the illness generally goes away in five to 10 days, the department said. Those most at risk are young children, the elderly and those with impaired immune systems.

The department said consumers should eat only ground beef that has been cooked to 160 degrees as shown by a digital thermometer.