National alert issued for ground beef due to possible E. coli risk

WASHINGTON– The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

FSIS is issuing this public health alert to ensure consumers are aware that these products should not be consumed. No recall has been filed because the products are no longer for sale.

The raw ground beef items were produced on March 28, 2024. The products have a best before date of April 22, 2024 and a packaging date of ‘032824’.

The products subject to the public health alert bear the location number “EST. 960A” within the USDA mark of approval. These items were shipped to food service facilities and retail locations across the country.

The issue was discovered by the company while inventorying a product that was on hold because it tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. The company informed FSIS that they had accidentally used some of the contaminated beef to produce ground beef products that they then marketed.

There have been no confirmed reports of illness resulting from the consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider.

E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially fatal bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and abdominal cramps 2 to 8 days (average 3 to 4 days) after exposure to the organism. While most people recover within a week, some develop a form of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This condition can occur in people of any age, but is most common in children under 5 years of age and older adults. It is characterized by easy bruising, paleness and decreased urine production. Individuals who experience these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately.

FSIS is concerned that some products are in the freezers of consumers and food service establishments. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them and food establishments are urged not to serve these products. These products should be discarded or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160 F. The only way to confirm that ground beef has been cooked to a temperature high enough to to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature, https://www.fsis.usda.gov/safetempchart.

Consumers and members of the media with questions regarding the public health alert can contact Greater Omaha Packing Co., Inc. representative Gina Adami at 402-575-4702 or (email protected).

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or email an inquiry to (email protected). For consumers who need to report a problem with a meat, poultry or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System is accessible 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.