Fed probe on E. coli hits Nevada

Friday, Sept. 12, 1997 | 10:07 a.m.

The Agriculture Department has widened its investigation into E. coli-tainted hamburger patties to Nevada, Wyoming and Utah.

Federal investigators discovered that more contaminated hamburgers were made at Hudson Foods Inc. earlier than known, meaning more than the 16 Colorado consumers identified last month could have been taken ill.

The Clark County Health District takes the lead in Southern Nevada for hunting contaminated food.

"We haven't found any," said Environmental Health Supervisor Lonnie Empey, "but we'll sure look."

No confirmed cases of the illnesses have been reported in the three states added to the list.

But the federal department expanded its investigation into where the ground beef came from this week. As many as 30 Hudson suppliers will be inspected.

Hudson recalled 25 million pounds of ground beef processed at its Columbus, Neb., plant in the largest meat recall in U.S. history. The Arkansas-based company said the bacteria, which can be deadly, were in the raw meat it bought from one or more suppliers. The direct sources are unknown.

No one has died from the outbreak in Colorado and Hudson has closed the Nebraska plant. The company plans to sell it.

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