The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service has announced that it has recalled 2,758 pounds of ground beef from Vermont Livestock, Slaughter and Processing Co., LLC, a Ferrisburg, Vt., firm, because it may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

Food safety advocate and attorney William Marler said, "In the last year and a half, the American meat industry has been in a spiral of recalls. More than 40 million pounds of meat tainted with E. coli O157:H7 has been publicly recalled, up by a factor of two hundred from the 2006 amount of 181,900 pounds. This is a very dangerous and completely unacceptable level of contaminated beef making its way to consumers."

The FSIS has received 10 confirmed reports of E coli a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. The FSIS has deemed E coli contaminated meat to be a class one hazard which refers to a health situation in which there is a reasonable probability that eating the food will cause health problems or death

"There are many theories as to why there has been such an unprecedented jump in E. coli," said Marler. "It could be regulatory complacency, better reporting, or immigration sweeps that have left slaughterhouses empty of skilled workers. Global warming may be spreading fecal dust and/or high oil prices may have led to an E. coli-producing diet for cattle. The microbe itself may even be evolving to elude capture. These ideas need investigation and research, so that real change can begin."

The recalled ground beef was shipped in 5-pound packages bearing  the establishment number "EST. 9558" inside the USDA mark of inspection as well as a lot code of "090508A," "090808A," "091208A," "091908A" or "092208A" labeled VT BURGER CO GROUND BEEF. Intended for restaurants, food service and institutional use and not available for direct retail purchase, the product was shipped two packages per box, and was produced on Sept. 5, 8, 12, 19, and 22. The shipment was delivered to distribution centers intended for restaurants and institutions in Vermont and Plattsburgh, N.Y. The problem was discovered through a joint epidemiological investigation by FSIS and the Vermont Department of Health.