Topps Recalls Millions of Patties

Fears of E. coli contamination drove Topps Meat Co. to recall 21.7 million pounds of frozen hamburger patties today. The recall affects all Topps products with a sell-by date between Sept. 25, 2007, and Sept. 25, 2008. More than two dozen people in eight states have reported infections, and yesterday the USDA shut down Topps’ meat grinding operation after finding unspecified safety problems.

Affected products should be destroyed, Topps said. The company expanded Tuesday’s recall of 332,000 pounds of meat “because the health and safety of our consumers is our top priority,” said an executive, saying the company had teamed with microbiologists to improve safety. The USDA has confirmed three cases of E. coli so far, while investigating 22 more, reports the AP. (More Topps Meat Co. stories.)