Utah company issues meat recall after E. coli detection

DRAPER — Dale T. Smith and Sons Meat Packing issued a recall of 38,200 pounds of beef Monday after E. coli was detected by routine sampling.

"We consider food safety a top priority and work hard to avoid these types of incidences," company vice president Dennis Smith said in a prepared statement. "We're truly grateful that the issue was detected through testing and not because of any illness."

Draper-based Dale T. Smith and Sons is a bulk supplier for Utah and California and has operated for more than 50 years.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the potentially contaminated product was distributed to wholesale and retail establishments but were destined for further processing. When available, the list of retail distributors of the meat will be posted on the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service website.

E. coli is potentially deadly and can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and, in severe cases, kidney failure, according to the USDA. Youth and seniors are the most susceptible to the disease.

Individuals concerned about an illness are encouraged to contact a healthcare provider.

— Benjamin Wood