Denver Post, "Better science, '02 case led to faster action in meat recall"

          Advances in science coupled with lessons learned from a 2002 incident involving tainted beef from a Greeley plant helped transform a relatively small recall of bacteria-tainted meat last week into a recall affecting millions of pounds in 12 states. "The science of identifying outbreaks is much improved, and we are learning of them much faster," said Caroline Smith-DeWaal, food safety director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington.
          The current recall by United Food Group in Vernon, Calif., was expanded Saturday to include 5.7 million pounds of ground beef. Fourteen people in seven states - two in Colorado - have been made ill by the meat, authorities say. It is the largest recall of its kind since ConAgra Beef Co., recalled 18.6 million pounds from its Greeley plant in July 2002. That recall began at 354,000 pounds and eventually 41 people in 12 states were sickened.
          Safeway Inc. said Monday that it sold some of the latest recalled meat in its Colorado stores and four other states, most of which was off the shelf by April 29, company officials said. A second recall affecting Coloradans was announced Monday for 40,440 pounds of ground beef produced by Tyson Fresh Meats Inc., in Sherman, Texas. No illnesses have been linked to the Tyson product, sold under the names Angus Steak Burger and Carne Molida de Res. Despite the improvements in the science, critics say the nation's food-safety system is still riddled with problems. "It's the same flawed recall system, where consumers can't find out whether the meat in their freezer is poisoned," said Bill Marler, a food-safety attorney in Seattle.