Nearly 7K pounds of raw ground beef recalled over E. coli contamination

Nearly 7,000 pounds of raw ground beef products have been recalled over concerns that they are contaminated with E. coli, according to the USDA.

A third-party laboratory tested samples of the ground beef and found they were positive for E. coli O157:H7. There have been no confirmed reports of illnesses.

The products were shipped to distributors in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Michigan, and then sent to restaurants and institutions. There is concern that the product may be in institutional or restaurant refrigerators or freezers. The products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and abdominal cramps two to eight days (three to four days, on average) after exposure, according to the USDA. Most people recover within a week, but children under 5 and older adults are at more risk of developing a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

Symptoms of HUS include easy bruising, pallor, and decreased urine output. If you experience those symptoms, you should go to a hospital.

---> Read: Here are the symptoms of an E. Coli infection

The raw ground beef items were produced on December 22, 2023. The following products are subject to recall:

• 12-lb. box package containing “ANGUS GROUND BEEF PATTIES” with product code 1208PL, Run No. 3356GRDB, date code 231222, Use By 01/15/2024, and time stamps between 7:36:38AM to 08:00:48AM.
• 16-lb. box packages containing “ANGUS GROUND BEEF PATTIES” with the product code 1253PL, Run No. 3356GRDB, date code 231222, Use By 01/15/2024, and time stamps between 7:25:50 AM to 08:00:36AM.
• 28-lb. box package containing “Ground Beef Patties” with product code 72287, Run No. 3356GRDB, date code 231222, Use By 01/15/2024, and time stamps between 12:44:00PM to 12:54:32PM.
• 28-lb. box packaging containing “Ground Beef Patties” with product code 72287, Run No. 3356GRDB, date code 231222, Use By 01/15/2024, and time stamp 1:02:55PM.
• 24-lb. box packaging containing “Ground Beef Patties” with product code 72284, Run No. 3356GRDB, date code 231222, Use By 01/15/2024, and time stamps between 1:10:09PM to 1:10:17PM.
• 13.5-lb. box packaging containing “GROUND BEEF PATTIES” with product code 1103, Run No. 3356GRDB, date code 231222, Use By 01/15/2024, and time stamps between 1:41:55:55PM to 1:57:53PM.
• 20-lb. box packaging containing “GROUND BEEF” with product code 8515, Run No. 3356GRDB, date code 231222, and time stamps between 1:16:24PM to 1:31:15PM.
• 40-lb. box packaging containing “GROUND BEEF” with product code 8020VP, Run No. 3356GRDB, date code 231222, and time stamps between 1:34:54PM to 2:00:49PM.

What is Escherichia coli (E. coli)?

Escherichia coli (E. coli) are bacteria that are found in the environment, foods and intestines of people and animals. They are a large and diverse group of bacteria, according to the CDC.

Most strains are harmless, but some can make people sick. Some strains can cause diarrhea, urinary tract infections, respiratory illness and pneumonia -- among other illnesses.

What are the symptoms of E. coli-related illness?

Symptoms vary from person to person, but often include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody) and vomiting.

Some people have a fever, which is usually not very high. Most people feel better within five to seven days. Some infections are mild, but others are severe or even life-threatening.

Symptoms usually appear three to four days after the exposure, but may appear in just one day or as long as 10 days. Young children and older adults may be more likely to experience severe illness.

Around 5% to 10% of people diagnosed with an infection develop hemolytic uremic syndrome, which appears seven days after symptoms begin, often when diarrhea is improving. Symptoms include decreased frequency of urination, feeling very tired and losing color in cheeks and inside the lower eyelids.

If you have symptoms, you should contact your doctor immediately. Your doctor should contact their local health department to report suspected or confirmed cases to the state.

What can you do to protect yourself from E. coli?

People with higher chances for foodborne illness are pregnant women, newborns, children, older adults, and those with weak immune systems, such as people with cancer, diabetes, or HIV/AIDS.

Health officials say you can prevent an E. coli-related illness by following proper hand hygiene and food handling practices.

The CDC said proper hand hygiene practices are as follows:

• Wash your hands thoroughly after using the bathroom and changing diapers.
• Wash your hands thoroughly before and after preparing or eating food.
• Wash your hands thoroughly after contact with animals or their environments (at farms, petting zoos, fairs, even your own backyard).
• Wash your hands thoroughly before preparing and feeding bottles or foods to an infant or toddler, before touching an infant or toddler’s mouth, and before touching pacifiers or other things that go into an infant or toddler’s mouth.
• Keep all objects that enter infants’ and toddlers’ mouths (such as pacifiers and teethers) clean.
• If soap and water aren’t available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol (check the product label to be sure). These alcohol-based products can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in some situations, but they are not a substitute for washing with soap and running water.

Food safety tips

You should also follow the four steps to food safety when preparing food: Clean, separate, cook and chill.

• Clean: Wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and water before, during and after preparing food and before eating. Wash your utensils, cutting boards and countertops with hot, soapy water, after preparing each food item. Rinse fruits and vegetables under running water.
• Separate: Raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs can spread germs to read-to-eat foods unless you keep them separate. Use separate cutting boards and plates for raw meat, poultry, seafood and keep their juices away from other foods. Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs separate from all other foods in the refrigerator.
• Cook: Cook to the right temperature. Food is safely cooked when the internal temperature is high enough to kill germs that can make you safe. The only way to tell is by using a food thermometer (except for seafood). Click here to learn more about safe internal temperatures.
• Chill: Bacteria can multiply rapidly if left at room temperature or at temps between 40 degrees and 140 degrees. Divide warm foods into several clean, shallow containers so they will chill faster. Refrigerate perishable food within two hours.