Meat Company Recalls Over 6,700 Pounds of Ground Beef Over Possible E. Coli

File photo showing a worker at a meat packing facility monitoring ground beef as it passes through a machine that makes hamburger patties in San Francisco, Ca., on June 24, 2008. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

An Illinois meat wholesaler has recalled more than 6,700 pounds of uncooked beef patties and ground beef over possible E. coli contamination.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced the recall by family-owned and operated meat company Valley Meats on Dec. 31.

According to FSIS, the recall affects packages of ground beef and ground beef patties that were produced on Dec. 22, 2023 and then shipped to distributor locations in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Michigan for further distribution to restaurants and “other institutional users.”

The products subject to recall bear the establishment number “EST. 5712” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

Approximately 6,768 pounds of raw ground beef products are impacted by the recall, according to officials. A list of the recalled item labels can be found here.

“FSIS is concerned that some product may be in institutional or restaurant refrigerators or freezers,” the agency said. “Restaurants and institutions are urged not to serve these products. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.”

FSIS said it had been notified by Valley Meats that samples of ground beef products submitted to a third-party laboratory for microbiological analysis tested positive for a particular strain of E. coli known as E. coli O157:H7, which is the most common strain to cause severe intestinal infection in humans.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports roughly 70,000 cases of E. coli O157:H7 infection in the United States each year.

Signs and Symptoms

However, there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions owing to consumption of the impacted products highlighted in the recall so far, officials said.

“Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider,” FSIS said.

E. coli is a type of bacteria commonly found in the environment, as well as in the intestines of people and animals. While most strains of E. coli are harmless and play an important role in a healthy human intestinal tract, other strains can result in health conditions or even death.

Symptoms of E. coli may include dehydration, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, urinary tract infections, respiratory illness, pneumonia, and/or other illnesses, according to the CDC, with symptoms typically appearing within a few days after exposure to the organism.

In extreme cases, some individuals can develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). While HUS can occur among persons of any age, it is most common in children under 5 and older adults.

“It is marked by easy bruising, pallor, and decreased urine output,” FSIS said. “Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.”

Previous Recalls

According to the Mayo Clinic, ground beef combines meat from many different animals, increasing the risk of E. coli contamination.

“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 agency said. “The only way to confirm that ground beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature.”

The Epoch Times reached out to Valley Meats for further comment.

The latest recall comes after four types of cheese—including Mrs. Kirkham’s Mild and Creamy Lancashire, Mrs. Kirkham’s Tasty Lancashire, Mrs. Kirkham’s Mature Lancashire, and Mrs. Kirkham’s Smoked Lancashire—were recalled as a “precautionary” measure over possible E. coli contamination on Christmas Eve.

In October, more than 58,000 pounds of ground beef products were recalled by Wisconsin-based American Foods Group LLC in August owing to possible E. coli contamination.

A month prior to that recall, Conagra Brands recalled over 245,000 pounds of Banquet brand frozen chicken strip meals after plastic contamination was discovered, according to the FSIS.