The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is currently in the process of recalling 40,000 pounds of frozen ground beef products that were shipped to Georgia, due to the possibility that the meat is contaminated with E. coli.
The frozen meat, which was produced on Sept. 9 by Palo Duro Meat in Amarilla, Texas, was shipped to two warehouses in Georgia for further distribution. Six of the institutions that the meat was originally meant to be sent to were public schools.
On Sept. 22, a company review of lab results confirmed positive for Escherichia coli (or more simply known as E. coli) O157:H7 bacteria.
Neither the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) or the meat company have received any reports of illnesses associated with the consumption of the possibly contaminated meat.
The FSIS have come to the assumption that a tracking error is what allowed the tainted product to mistakenly be shipped out instead of destroyed.
The products being recalled include 40-lb. boxes contained four 10-lb. slabs of ground beef. Each case is marked “Est. 7282” inside the USDA mark of inspection, and features the product code “19110.”
In order to avoid illness from E. coli O157:H7, which can cause diarrhea, dehydration, vomiting, and in rare cases, kidney failure, the FSIS advises consumers to prepare all raw meat properly; ground beef should be cooked to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit , a temperature that is high enough to kill harmful bacteria.
Customers are being asked to call Palo Duro Meat if they have questions about the recall. The number is 860-372-5781.
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