Supermarket operator Safeway Inc. on Thursday said the U.S. Department of Agriculture warned it may have received raw ground beef products that contain salmonella. The company said it might have received the products between Sept. 19 and Nov. 5 in five states -- Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada and New Mexico. A specific product, retailer or establishment that is the source of the contamination has not been determined. No illness has been reported in Hawaii or New Mexico. There has been a case in Idaho that does not have an apparent connection with Safeway, the company said. The notice does not include fresh ground beef patties. No Safeway product has tested positive for salmonella. The company said customers who have frozen raw beef products purchased between Sept. 19 and Nov. 5 should throw them away. Salmonella can cause diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps within 72 hours of consumption. It is usually found in food contaminated with animal feces, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. |