Nearly 200,000 pounds of ground beef recalled

WASHINGTON - A Wisconsin company is recalling 196,000 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with the deadly bacteria E. coli O157:H7, the Agriculture Department said Wednesday.

The beef produced by Packerland Packing Co. Inc. of Green Bay, Wis., was shipped to distributors and wholesalers in New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois, New Hampshire, Kentucky and Pennsylvania.

The boxes bear ''EST.562-B'' inside the USDA seal of inspection, the production date of ''05/23/00,'' and the brand names SYSCO Ground Beef or Packerland Ground Beef.

The problem was discovered through the tracing of a positive sample for the bacteria in New York City.

E. coli O157 can cause serious illness and sometimes death, especially in children and the elderly. Symptoms include chills and bloody diarrhea. Because of the threat of contamination, all ground beef should be cooked to at least 160 degrees, according to the government.