Hudson Denies Plan To Cook Tainted Meat

Hudson Foods Inc. denied Friday that it had considered cooking recalled beef at a high enough temperature to kill any E. coli bacteria so the meat could be resold for use in prepackaged foods.

The Dayton Daily News reported Thursday that the company had considered that option - but later abandoned it, saying it planned to follow the advice of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Asked to comment on the newspaper’s report, spokesman Robert Udowitz said Friday that Hudson “has never considered using the returned meat for consumption.”

He said the company had only mentioned cooking at high temperature as a method of recycling to illustrate “previous methods that the company had been aware of.”

The company was waiting for the USDA to finish its investigation and tell the company what to do with the recalled meat before Hudson decides how to dispose of it, Udowitz said.