E. Coli Scare in Minnesota, Wisconsin

M I N N E A P O L I S, Dec. 3 -- The parent company of the Cub Foods grocerystore chain expanded a ground beef recall Saturday after 21 peoplewere sickened by E. coli bacteria.

Michael Wright, CEO of Eden Prairie-based Supervalu, said groundbeef contaminated with E. coli had been traced to Green Bay, Wis.,meatpacker American Foods Group Inc. Phone messages left lateSaturday with American Foods Group were not immediately returned.

Cub Foods announced Friday that it was removing all fresh groundbeef from its Minnesota stores and two Wisconsin stores afterinvestigators with the Minnesota Department of Health linked itsground beef to 17 E. coli infections.

Supervalu expanded the recall on Saturday to include otherSupervalu stores in Minnesota as well as Cub Foods stores inChicago and Indianapolis after health officials reported four newMinnesota cases, including a 2-year-old who had developed apotentially fatal kidney infection from E. coli poisoning.

Other stores involved in the recall include County Markets,Kowalski’s and Jerry’s, all of which get ground beef fromSupervalu.

Symptoms of E. coli poisoning include bloody diarrhea,dehydration, headache and nausea. The bacteria can be killed bycooking meat to an internal temperature of 160 degrees.