Media Statement on National Ground Beef Recall Affecting Limited Giant Eagle Products

To: RETAILING EDITORS

Contact: Rob Borella, Senior Director of Marketing and Corporate Communications, Giant Eagle, Inc., +1-412-967-3637

PITTSBURGH, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire/ — Cargill Meat Solutions Corp., announced today a voluntary national product recall of ground beef products because they may be contaminated with E. coli. Cargill supplies ground beef products to many retailers as well as to Giant Eagle, Market District, Giant Eagle Express and GetGo locations in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland. Since the products involved in the recall have passed their sell-by dates, Giant Eagle encourages consumers to check their refrigerators and freezers for product that may have been recently purchased, but not yet consumed. Customers who have recently purchased the product may either dispose of the product or return the item to Giant Eagle for a full refund.

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Giant Eagle is closely and actively working with Cargill and the USDA to cooperate fully with the product recall and is providing the following information to its customers:

— Both Giant Eagle and the USDA have no known cases of consumer illness

associated with this recall.

— The ground beef products involved in the recall are pre- packaged, fresh

(not frozen), would be purchased by customers in the self- service meat

display, and include:

— Giant Eagle Ground Beef Patties

— 80% Lean Patties sell by date of 10/19 and 10/22

— 85% Lean Patties sell by date of 10/19 and 10/22

— 85% Certified Angus Beef Lean Patties sell by date of 10/19

and 10/22

— 92% Lean Patties sell by date of 10/22

— Giant Eagle Ground Beef

— 92% Lean Ground Beef sell by date of 10/11 through 10/30

— 95% Lean Ground Beef sell by date of 10/11 through 10/30

— No other Giant Eagle ground beef products are affected by this recall

at this time, and ground beef currently being sold in the company’s

supermarkets is safe for consumption.

— Customers with additional questions may call Giant Eagle at

1-800-553-2324.

According to the USDA, E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration. The very young, seniors and persons with compromised immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness. The USDA offers the following guidelines for safe consumption of beef products. Customers who follow these guidelines should not be concerned if they have already consumed the affected product.

— Wash hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat and poultry. Wash cutting boards, dishes and

utensils with hot, soapy water. Immediately clean spills.

— Keep raw meat, fish and poultry away from other food that will not be

cooked. Use separate cutting boards for raw meat, poultry and egg

products and cooked foods.

— Consumers should only eat ground beef or ground beef patties that have

been cooked to a safe internal temperature of 160 degrees F.

— Color is NOT a reliable indicator that ground beef or ground beef

patties have been cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful

bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7.

— The only way to be sure ground beef is cooked to a high enough

temperature to kill harmful bacteria is to use a thermometer to measure

the internal temperature.

— Refrigerate raw meat and poultry within two hours after purchase or one

hour if temperatures exceed 90 degrees F. Refrigerate cooked meat and

poultry within two hours after cooking.

SOURCE Giant Eagle, Inc.

(c) 2007 U.S. Newswire. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.