About 28,356 pounds of ground beef were recalled from various California supermarkets due to risk of E. Coli contamination, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced in a statement Thursday.
The raw ground beef items were packaged on December 20, 2021. Recall items and labels can be viewed here.
Products subject to recall bear the number “EST. 965 ”within the USDA mark of inspection or printed next to the timestamp and use or freeze by date.
The meat packages will be shipped to supermarkets such as Walmart, Albertsons, Kroger, Win-Co, among others in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
The problem was reported to FSIS after a retail package of ground beef was purchased and an outside laboratory sent for microbiological analysis and the sample tested positive for E. coli. FSIS conducted an evaluation of the third-party laboratory’s accreditation and methodologies and determined the results to be actionable.
Anyone concerned about feeling ill should contact a healthcare provider.
E. Coli is a life-threatening bacteria that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and abdominal cramps 2 to 8 days (3 to 4 days, on average) after exposure to the body.
While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).
This condition can occur in people of any age, but it is more common in children under the age of 5 and older adults.
It is characterized by bruising, paleness, and decreased urine output. People experiencing these symptoms should seek emergency medical attention immediately.
FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products must be discarded or returned to the place of purchase.
FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify that companies notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to ensure the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, retail distribution lists will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.