DENVER -- King Soopers is recalling nearly a half-million pounds of ground beef products that might be linked to 14 cases of salmonella in Colorado.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service said Wednesday that the products were produced from May 23 through June 13 and bear the establishment number "EST. 6250" within the USDA Mark of Inspection, printed on the front of the packages.

The meat was distributed to stores in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

The products subject to recall include:

1-pound chubs of (93/7) ground beef. Each package bears the identifying case code "69558." These have use by/sell by dates between May 31 to June 21.

Tray packs that have a use by/sell by date between June 2 and June 23 and include the following:

1 - 1.25-lb. tray packs of (96/4) ground beef. Each package bears the identifying case code "67164."
1 - 1.25-lb. tray packs of (96/4) ground beef. Each package bears the identifying case code "67664."
1 - 1.25-lb. tray packs of (93/7) ground beef. Each package bears the identifying case code "67663."
1 - 1.25-lb. tray packs of (93/7) ground beef. Each package bears the identifying case code "67163."
2.5 - 3-lb. tray packs of (93/7) ground beef. Each package bears the identifying case code "67654."

6-pack trays of (93/7) ground beef patties. Each package bears the identifying case code "67106." They have a use by/sell by date between June 1 and June 22.

4-pack trays of (93/7) ground beef patties. Each package bears the identifying case code "67115." They have a use by/sell by date between June 1 and June 22.

In Colorado, the products were sold at King Soopers and City Market stores.

Federal officials don't believe the products are still available for sale, but are advising people who might have bought and frozen the meat to get rid of it or return it to the place of purchase.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment notified federal officials of the outbreak.

"This is the first time the USDA has ever conducted a recall of beef for salmonella. They have done so for e. coli, but not salmonella," said Lori Maldonado with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. "They did so upon urging from state health department epidemiologists in the interest of public health."

The particular strain identified in the ground beef is salmonella typhimurium DT104, one that is resistant to many antibiotics prescribed for treatment, which can increase the risk of hospitalization or possible treatment failure in infected individuals, Maldonado said.

To date, 14 cases with the same DNA fingerprint have been identified among Colorado residents in the following counties: Boulder (3), Denver (1), Douglas (1), Jefferson (4), Larimer (1), Mesa (2) and Routt (2). Six people have been hospitalized; all are recovering.

Individuals became ill between June 13 and June 28 and report purchasing their meat between June 1 and June 14 from a variety of King Soopers and City Market stores in Colorado. All 14 individuals reported consuming 93 percent lean ground beef during the week before becoming ill.

The state health department's lab tested one partially cooked hamburger collected from an ill person's refrigerator. That meat tested positive for the outbreak strain of salmonella, giving further evidence that ground beef is the source of this outbreak, Maldonado said.

Eating food contaminated with salmonella can result in abdominal cramping, diarrhea and fever. Most people infected with salmonella develop the symptoms 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts four to seven days.

Most people recover without treatment. However, anyone experiencing symptoms such as severe diarrhea should contact a doctor. In some individuals, diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. In rare circumstances, infection with salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses.

The very young, the elderly and people with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness; however, anyone can be infected with salmonella.

For more information about foodborne illnesses, you can call the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment at 303-692-2629. Consumers with questions regarding the recall may contact Kroger's Hotline at 1-800-632-6900. Salmonella information is available on CDC's Web site.