JBS Swift E Coli Beef Recall Grows

The JBS Swift E coli beef recall grows from 41,000 pounds of products to 380,000 pounds.

The JBS Swift Beef Co. of Greely, Colo., is voluntarily widening the recall issued earlier this week because of possible E coli contamination.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said today that all the beef products in the widened recall were producted April 21 and are in boxes bearing “Est. 969,” a package date of “042109″ and a time stamp ranging from “0618″ to “1130.”

The USDA did not have an update today of what states had reported illnesses or received beef products covered by the expanded recall. The first recall earlier this week covered products that were made April 21-22 and shipped to Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin.

The USDA says an investigation by its Food Safety and Inspection Service of 24 illnesses in multiple states prompted the company to take another look at its food safety system. According to the department, 18 of the illnesses appear to have the same cause, and  JBS Swift  is conducting the E coli beef recall “out of an abundance of caution.