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MERCED, Calif. (AP) - The company that distributed hamburger patties believed to have sickened at least three children with E. coli bacteria is blaming the contamination on the slaughterhouse that processed the meat.
Steve Wood, vice president for Merced-based Richwood Meat Co. Inc., said he does not know which slaughterhouse provided the meat. Richwood receives raw, boneless meat from suppliers and turns it into hamburger patties and other products.
The slaughterhouses that supply Richwood are required to provide lab tests certifying the meat is clean, but inspectors usually only test small samples of each batch and can miss a contaminated portion, Wood said.
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