Valley Meat Co., of Modesto, sold the potentially contaminated beef patties and ground beef in California, Texas, Oregon, Arizona and internationally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.
The beef was processed from Oct. 2, 2009, to Jan. 12, 2010. Most of the products were sold frozen and the company was working to remove them from grocery store shelves.
The California Department of Health notified the USDA in mid-July of a cluster of E. coli-related illnesses, leading to the recall. A department spokesman said officials would issue a statement later Friday.
Tests identified the bacteria as E. coli O157:H7, the strain most commonly responsible for food poisoning. Symptoms of infection often include often include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting and a low fever. More serious infections can lead to kidney failure, brain damage and sometimes death.
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