USDA Issues Nationwide Recall On Contaminated Beef Patties
More than 40,000 pounds of ground beef — sold to stores nationwide — are being recalled over fears it may be contaminated with E. coli.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the beef, sold under the Marketside Butcher and Thomas Farms brand names, was produced by New Jersey-based Lakeside Refrigerated Services. The bacteria was detected during a routine inspection.
The company produced all of the recalled products on June 1 and distributed them to Walmart and other stores across the country.
"E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps 2-8 days (3-4 days, on average) after exposure to the organism," reads the recall notice from FSIS. "While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome."
Some kinds of E. coli cause disease by producing Shiga toxin. The bacteria that make these toxins are called "Shiga toxin-producing" E. coli (STEC). The most commonly found STEC in the United States is E. coli O157:H7.
The affected ground beef patties have been sold locally at Walmart and Food City locations and include:
- Marketside Butcher Organic Grass-Fed Ground Beef Patties
- Thomas Farms Grass-Fed Ground Beef Patties
- Value Pack Fresh Ground Beef
The USDA is urging consumers to check their refrigerators and freezers for the affected products and throw it away.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are 265,000 STEC infections each year in the United States. E. coli O157:H7 causes more than 36% of these infections.
A detailed list of recalled products is on the FSIS website.