Nearly 30 TONS of ground beef sold in three states is recalled due to fears it’s contaminated with diarrhea bug E.coli
- Nearly 30 tons of ground beef recalled in Georgia, Michigan and Ohio
- One meat sample contained the Shiga toxin-producing E. coli bacteria.
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Nearly 30 tons of ground beef have been recalled in three states because they may contain a deadly food poisoning virus.
Routine testing of meat sold by American Foods Group, also known as Green Bay Dressed Beef, in Wisconsin, found it contained Shiga toxin producer E.coli (STEC).
THE The bacteria are commonly found in the intestines of animals and, if eaten, can cause stomach upset, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, and in rare cases, death from associated infections.
The company has recalled three varieties of its bulk ground beef shipped from Wisconsin to large and small grocery stores in Georgia, Michigan and Ohio, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Tuesday.
That’s just over 58,000 pounds, or almost 30 tons.
The USDA suggests cooking meat to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius) and using a meat thermometer to measure the temperature to kill harmful bacteria like E. coli.
The affected products, all packaged in 10-pound plastic tubes, were manufactured on August 14.
The products were: 90050 Fine Ground Beef 81/19 — lot code D123226026, 20473 Halal Fine Ground Beef 73/27 — lot code D123226027 and 20105 Fine Ground Beef 73/27 — lot code D123226027.
No cases of human contamination have been reported, although the USDA has advised consumers to discard any affected beef as a safety precaution.
E. coli is a bacteria commonly found in the intestines of animals like cattle, goats, sheep and deer.
Although most are harmless, some can cause a host of gastrointestinal symptoms, including stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea, and vomiting.
STEC is most commonly associated with foodborne outbreaks, according to the CDC. Contaminated foods can include ground beef, unpasteurized milk, raw produce and unsanitized water.
This form of E. coli lives in the gastrointestinal tract of animals, even if they do not get sick. Exact numbers vary, but E. coli infections are estimated to cause approximately 265,000 illnesses and 100 deaths per year.
Young children and the elderly are at higher risk of becoming seriously ill, and the majority of these infections occur between June and September in the United States, according to the Mayo Clinic, although it is not clear why.
In rare cases, patients may develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).
It is a disease characterized by abnormal destruction of blood platelets and red blood cells.
According to the Mayo Clinic, damaged blood cells can obstruct the kidneys’ filtering system, leading to life-threatening kidney failure.
E. coli illness is usually treated with rest and fluids to prevent dehydration. There is no treatment developed specifically for the infection.
The USDA suggests cooking meat to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius) and using a meat thermometer to measure the temperature to kill harmful bacteria like E. coli.