On the eve of summer grilling season, the recall of more than a ton of beef potentially contaminated with dangerous E. coli bacteria — including mechanically tenderized sirloin steaks — is renewing calls for better labeling.

Connecticut Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro said that the Wednesday recall involving some 2,057 pounds of ground and texturized beef from Town & Country Foods Inc. of Greene, Maine, underscores why consumers should be told when meat has been mechanically pierced with needles or blades.

Berlin (CNN) — Four more deaths have been confirmed by German health officials Friday bringing the total number of European deaths from an E. coli outbreak to 31. All but one were in Germany.

According to German health authorities the bacteria has been traced to sprouts found in a North Rhine-Westphalia household in western Germany. This is the first time the actual bacteria has been found in produce.

The number of people infected with E. coli now stands at 2,988, of whom 759 have the severe form of the intestinal illness. Though the rate of infection is slowing, officials at the Robert Koch Institute said the number of infections will continue to rise.

(CNN) — A California company has recalled 34,373 pounds of organic ground beef over fears of E. coli contamination.

First Class Foods Inc. of Hawthorne said recalled packages were produced on December 7 and December 16.

They have “EST. 18895″ printed on them, federal officials said.

Products were shipped to California, New Jersey, North Carolina, New York, Wisconsin and Washington state.

(CNN) — A multistate romaine lettuce recall because of fear of contamination with a potentially deadly bacteria has restaurants east of the Mississippi River scrambling to assure customers that their salad is safe.

(AP) A deadly strain of E. coli spread from child to child at a Washington state day care, killing one and sickening three others despite what health officials determined were appropriate hygienic practices.

The four children were hospitalized, and Elizabeth Winter of the Washington state Department of Early Learning said her department was notified Friday that one of them, a 4-year-old boy, had died.

Fletch Family Daycare – a tidy single-story yellow rambler on a large lot in Vancouver, Wash. – is closed.

NEW YORK (CNN) — A voluntary recall was announced Monday for more than half a million pounds of ground beef because it may be contaminated with bacteria linked to at least two deaths, officials said.

Fairbank Farms of Ashville, New York, said the recall was issued Saturday for approximately 545,699 pounds of ground beef produced between September 14 and September 16 after the meat was “possibly linked” to E. coli O157:H7.

“Any customers from northeastern or mid-Atlantic states who have identified recalled ground beef products should remove the product from their freezers and return it to their stores for full reimbursement,” the company said.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 17, 2009 – Pasha Halal Poultry, doing business as Marcacci Meats, a Vineland, N.J., establishment, is recalling approximately 128 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The products subject to recall include: [View Label, PDF Only]

Various sizes of plastic-wrapped packages of “MARCACCI MEATS, GROUND BEEF.” 10-pound boxes of “MARCACCI MEATS, GROUND BEEF.”

Researchers were testing the bacteria to determine if it bears the same genetic fingerprint as the E. coli linked to an outbreak of illness that has affected at least 69 people in 29 states.

The tainted sample was manufactured last February 10 at the Nestle Plant in Danville, said the sources, both of whom requested anonymity.

All of the infected persons had been confirmed as having the outbreak strain of E. coli 0157:H7, the CDC said Monday.

Those affected range in age from 2 to 65, however 64 percent are less than 19 and 73 percent are female.

CHICAGO – A Colorado meat company is expanding a recall of beef due to possible contamination by E.coli O157:H7 bacteria after an investigation found 18 illnesses may be linked to the meat, the company and the U.S. Agriculture Department said on Sunday.

Greeley, Colorado-based JBS-Swift Beef Co is voluntarily expanding its June 24 recall to include about 380,000 pounds of assorted beef products, for a total recall of about 421,000 pounds, USDA and the company said.

The affected beef was produced on April 21 and was distributed nationally and internationally.