Topps Meat Company issued a voluntary recall Tuesday of about 330,000 pounds of frozen ground beef suspected of being contaminated with E. coli; federal food inspectors are now investigating Topps’ facility and its suppliers.

The U. S. Department of Agriculture is continuing its investigation in the case of Topps Meat Company products suspected of E. coli contamination. USDA spokeswoman Amanda Eamich said inspectors are verifying the Elizabeth, N, J.-based company’s sanitation measures against E. coli.

“We are investigating the facility in response to the illnesses associated with the consumption of the products,” Eamich said. “That also includes looking back to their suppliers.”

Topps announced earlier this week that it was voluntarily recalling more than 330,000 pounds of beef in 10 different packages after several cases of E. coli contamination were confirmed in several states, the USDA said Wednesday.

Almost two dozen people may be ill because they consumed bacteria-tainted Topps frozen burgers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed Wednesday. There have been illnesses reported in Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania, according to the CDC and the USDA.

Lola Russell, a CDC representative, said two cases in New York and one in Florida are confirmed as being linked to the ground beef, while another 18 cases are still under investigation and could also be linked to Topps products, the Associated Press reported.

The U. S. Department of Agriculture is warning consumers to avoid eating frozen hamburgers produced by the Elizabeth, New Jersey-based company.

The recall, which totals 331,582 pounds of frozen beef patties and 21 products that were distributed nationwide, includes certain 10-pound boxes of Butcher's Best 100% All Beef Patties; certain 10-pound boxes of Kohler Foods burgers; certain 10-pound boxes of Sand Castle Fine Meat; some 2-pound boxes of Topps 100% Pure Ground Beef Hamburgers; and some 3-pound boxes of Topps 100% Pure Ground Beef Hamburgers.

(Read the complete list of the recalled products at http://www.toppsmeat.com/.)

The USDA said the recalled products carry the number “Est. 9748” inside the USDA mark of inspection, and were produced on June 22, July 12 or July 23.

Topps representative Cortney McMahon has stated that the meat producer is fully cooperating with federal health officials, while Geoffrey Livermore, the company's operations vice president, confirmed that Topps “is concerned with the safety and welfare of all our customers and we are deeply concerned for those who became ill.”