December 04, 2018
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An additional 5 million pounds of raw beef has been added to a long-running recall.
Burger lovers, beware: the United States Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service is expanding an October recall on contaminated ground beef by 5 million pounds.
Tuesday's announcement comes with JBS Tolleson Inc. of Arizona recalling more than 5.1 million pounds of raw beef products that may be tainted with salmonella. The recalled beef was produced and packaged between July 26 and September 7, and distributed nationwide under brands that include Kroger, Cedar River Farms, Grass Run Farms and JBS generic, among others.
The total amount of "non-intact raw beef products" — aka ground beef — now recalled exceeds more than 12 million pounds. The recall is linked to an outbreak of salmonella that, as of November 15, has caused 246 people to become sick in 25 states, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. No deaths have been reported but 56 people have been hospitalized.
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Right now, the USDA is concerned that consumers might have the contaminated meat products stowed away in their freezers. It is reminding consumers that all recalled products should be either thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
As a reminder, the agency “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 recall statement explained. Additionally, symptoms of salmonella usually begin within 12 to 72 hours of consuming contaminated food. These can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever that last between four and seven days. Most people recover on their own, but those who experience persistent diarrhea may need to be hospitalized.
The USDA said it is continuing to investigate illnesses associated with the outbreak noted further recalls of ground beef from other companies are possible.
