CINCINNATI- The Kroger Company is expanding its voluntary recall of some ground beef products to its stores in more than 20 states, including Kentucky, saying the meat may be contaminated with E. coli.

Larry Columbia, Vice President of Merchandising with Kroger, tells WYMT that Kentucky is included in the states that have the recalled meat. Columbia says that no illnesses have been reported so far in Kentucky involving the recall.

The nation's biggest traditional grocer also urged customers to
check the ground beef in their refrigerators and freezers to
determine whether it is covered by the recall.

The warning comes as federal investigators try to pinpoint the
source of a separate salmonella outbreak linked to tomatoes. That
outbreak has sickened nearly 900 people, raising more questions
about the nation's food safety system.

While insisting that tomatoes remain the leading suspect,
investigators are looking at other produce.

Kroger's recall stems from meat obtained from one of Kroger's
suppliers, Nebraska Beef.

Kroger says the sell-by dates on its recalled beef are May 21st
or later.