USDA warns consumers about E. coli in some ground beef products

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issues a public health alert for Greater Omaha Packing Co. ground beef products. Inc. that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

FSIS is issuing this public health alert to ensure consumers are aware that these products should not be consumed.

No recall has been filed because the products are no longer for sale.

The raw ground beef items were produced on March 28, 2024. The products have a best before date of April 22, 2024 and a packaging date of ‘032824’. You can find the list of products to which the public health alert applies here.

The products subject to the public health alert bear the location number “EST. 960A” within the USDA mark of approval. These items were shipped to food service facilities and retail locations across the country.

The problem was discovered by the company while taking inventory of a product that was on hold because it had been tested positive E.coli O157:H7. The company informed FSIS that they had accidentally used some of the contaminated beef to produce ground beef products that they then marketed.

There have been no confirmed reports of illness resulting from the consumption of these products.

FSIS is concerned that some products are in the freezers of consumers and food service establishments. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them and food establishments are urged not to serve these products. These products should be discarded or returned to the place of purchase.

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 only way to confirm that ground beef has been cooked to a temperature high enough to to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures the internal temperature, https://www.fsis.usda.gov/safetempchart.

Consumers with questions about the public health alert can contact Greater Omaha Packing Co. sales representative Gina Adami. Inc., at 402-575-4702 or gadami@gmail.com.

About E. coli infections
Anyone who has eaten any of it affected products and develop symptoms of an E. coli infection should seek medical attention and tell their doctor about their possible exposure to the bacteria. Specific tests are needed to diagnose the infections, which can mimic other diseases.

The symptoms of E. coli infections vary from person to person, but often include severe stomach cramps and diarrhea, which is often bloody. Some patients may also have a fever. Most patients recover within five to seven days. Others may develop serious or life-threatening symptoms and complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

About 5 to 10 percent of those diagnosed with E. coli infections develop a potentially life-threatening complication of kidney failure known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Symptoms of HUS include fever, abdominal pain, feeling very tired, decreased frequency of urination, minor unexplained bruising or bleeding, and paleness.

Many people with HUS recover within a few weeks, but some suffer permanent injury or death. This condition can occur in people of any age, but is most common in children under five years of age due to their immature immune systems, in older adults due to a deteriorating immune system, and in people with compromised immune systems, such as cancer patients.

People who experience HUS symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately. People with HUS are likely to be hospitalized because the condition can cause other serious and persistent problems, such as high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, brain damage, and neurological problems.

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