Washington, 27th April. Two companies have recalled ground beef products that were sold to restaurants and institutions because they may be contaminated with E. coli O103.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention affiliated with U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES informec in a press release –
Grant Park
Packing in Franklin Park, Ill., recalledexternal icon approximately 53,200 pounds of raw ground beef products on April 24, 2019.
K2D Foods, doing business as Colorado Premium Foods, in
Carrollton, Ga., recalledexternal icon approximately 113,424 pounds of raw ground beef products on April 23, 2019.
Laboratory
testing identified the outbreak strain of E. coli O103 in a ground beef sample taken from these companies. Testing
is ongoing to determine if another ground beef sample from one of these
companies also contained the outbreak strain.
Some ill
people in this outbreak ate ground beef from sources other than the products
currently recalled. Investigators continue to trace other sources for ground
beef, and more products may be recalled.
Since the
last update on April 23, 2019, 21 additional ill people have been
reported, bringing the total to 177 cases
in 10 states.
Twenty-one
ill people have been hospitalized. No deaths and no cases of hemolytic uremic
syndrome (a type of kidney failure) have been reported.
Reported
illnesses began from March 1, 2019 to April 14, 2019.
This is a
rapidly evolving investigation. CDC will provide more information as it becomes
available.
CDC advices
to consumers:
Handle
ground beef safely and cook it thoroughly to prevent foodborne illness.
Consumers
should cook ground beef to an internal temperature of 160˚F.
Wash hands
with soap and water after touching raw ground beef.
Keep raw
meat separate from foods that won’t be cooked before eating.
Thoroughly
wash countertops, cutting boards, plates, and utensils with hot, soapy water or
a bleach solution after they touch raw meat.
Don’t eat
raw or undercooked ground beef.
Never eat
recalled ground beef.
After
cooking ground beef, refrigerate within 2 hours and
use within 3 to 4 days.
Thaw ground
beef in the refrigerator. Cook or refreeze within 2 days.
Talk to your
doctor if you have symptoms of an E. coli infection.
CDC advices
to restaurants and
retailers:
Do not sell
or serve the recalled ground beef from K2D Foods
and Grant Park Packing because it may be contaminated with E. coli O103 and could make people sick.
About
Shiga toxin-producing E. coli:
People get
sick from Shiga toxin-producing E. coli an average of 3 to 4 days after swallowing the germ. Most
people get diarrhea (often bloody), severe stomach cramps, and vomiting.
Most people
recover within a week, but some illnesses can last longer and be more severe.
Antibiotics are not recommended for patients with suspected E. coli infections until diagnostic testing can be performed and E. coli infection is ruled out.
