Georgia among states affected by Publix meat recall

SARASOTA, FLORIDA - Publix Super Markets Inc. has voluntarily withdrawn ground beef from its stores in four states, including Florida, after an outbreak of the E. coli bacteria in Minnesota. <br> <br> The Lakeland-based chain said the recall is for meat with sell-by dates from Aug. 23 to Sept. 11. <br> <br> Products being recalled are ground beef, ground chuck, ground sirloin, ground round, lean ground beef, hamburger patties and meat loaf. The recall excludes packages sold under the Maverick brand. <br> <br> The recall also includes meat sold by stores in Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina. <br> <br> ``We&#39;re asking customers to check their freezers for ground beef with these sell-by dates and return it to their local Publix for refund or product replacement,&#39;&#39; said Publix spokesman Lee Brunson. <br> <br> The recall was announced after one of Publix&#39;s major suppliers, Peck Meats, said it was conducting a nationwide recall of 2.8 million pounds of fresh and frozen ground beef products that may be contaminated with Escherichia coli, Brunson said. <br> <br> Peck Meats, a Wisconsin-based supplier, is owned by EMMPAK Foods Inc. <br> <br> Last week Peck Meats recalled products in Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota after health officials identified a food-borne illness associated with the Minnesota E. coli outbreak. <br> <br> The E. coli strain causes an estimated 73,000 infection cases and 61 deaths each year. The bacteria is associated with eating undercooked, contaminated ground beef. <br> <br> Last month Publix said it would begin selling irradiated ground beef and chicken at more than 700 of its stores. <br> <br> Health organizations endorse irradiation as a way to kill harmful bacteria such as E. coli.