Giant grocery retailer Safeway has announced a recall of store-packaged ground beef, beef patties and meatloaf sold in nine states between June 6 and July 14. Safeway said in a news release that the meat is associated with an outbreak of Salmonella Newport and Cargill recall.

The potentially tainted meat was supplied to Safeway by the Fresno, California, plant of Beef Packers Inc., which is owned and operated by food giant Cargill. The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced earlier in the day that 825,769 pounds of Beef Packers ground beef was being recalled because it may be linked to the outbreak.

Meanwhile, the Colorado Department of Health and Environment reported that the majority of known illnesses in the Salmonella Newport outbreak have occurred in Colorado, where there have been 21 confirmed cases since late June and mid-July. Colorado officials said consumers should look out for ground beef stamped with establishment number EST 31913 if produced between early June and mid-July.

Colorado said it has epidemiological data showing that 15 of 16 confirmed illnesses were in people who said they purchased their ground beef at Safeway. The retailer said its recall affects stores in Colorado, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, South Dakota and Wyoming.

Fred Pritzker, president and founder of national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen, is advising consumers to check their freezers for ground beef products that have been recalled by Cargill and Safeway. Pritzker also cautioned consumers that Salmonella Newport is resistant to antibiotics normally used to fight Salmonella infections. This increases the risk for hospitalization and for treatment failure.

If you or someone you love has been sickened in this outbreak, contact a Salmonella attorney at our firm by calling 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or by filling out our free Salmonella consultation form.

Most healthy adults overcome Salmonellosis without medical treatment, but symptoms including diarrhea and severe stomach cramps can last up to seven days. Salmonella infections can be serious and even life-threatening in young children, the elderly and people who have weakened immune systems.