Late last week, FSIS issued a public health alert or ground beef products that may be contaminated with E coli O157:H7.
Image credit: USDA
On Saturday, the FSIS sent out a public health alert for ground beef products that may be contaminated with E coli O157:H7. FSIS decided to do so to ensure that consumers are aware that these products should not be consumed. A recall was not requested because the products are no longer available for purchase. The recall is associated with Greater Omaha Packing.1
The raw ground beef items were produced on March 28, 2024. The products have a “Use/Freeze by” date of April 22, 2024, and packaging date of “032824.” The list of products that are subject to the public health alert can be found here. The labels for these products can be found on the FSIS [view labels].1
FSIS is concerned that some products may be in consumers’ and food service institutions’ freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them and food service institutions are urged not to serve these products. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.1
The federal 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 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.1
What You Need to Know
The US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a public health alert for ground beef products potentially contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.
E coli infection can cause symptoms such as dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and abdominal cramps, typically appearing 2 to 8 days after exposure to the bacteria.
Consumers with questions about the public health alert can contact Greater Omaha Packing Co.
E coli Presentation and Clinical Considerations
E coli is a bacterial infection that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps 2–8 days (3–4 days, on average) after exposure the organism. While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).1
Symptoms can usually last between 5 to 10 days, and people with mild symptoms usually recover on their own without treatment.2
This condition can occur among persons of any age but is most common in children under 5-years old and older adults. It is marked by easy bruising, pallor, and decreased urine output. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.1
Antimicrobial therapy is not recommended for patients with suspected Shiga toxin-producing E coli (STEC) infections until complete diagnostic testing can be performed and STEC infection is ruled out. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some studies have shown that administering antibiotics to patients with STEC infections might increase their risk of developing HUS, and a benefit of treatment has not been clearly demonstrated.3
Consumer Issues
Consumers and members of the media with questions about the public health alert can contact Gina Adami, Greater Omaha Packing Co., Inc. Representative, at 402-575-4702 or gadami@gmail.com.
Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.
References
1.FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Ground Beef Products Due to Possible E coli O157:H7 Contamination. FSIS press release. April 20, 2024. Accessed April 22, 2024.
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/fsis-issues-public-health-alert-ground-beef-products-due-possible-e–coli-o157h7-0
2. E coli O157:H7 and HUS Fact Sheet. Minnesota Department of Health. Accessed April 22, 2024. https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/ecoli/ecoli.html
3. E coli. CDC. Last reviewed March 26, 2024. Accessed April 22, 2024.
https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/index.html
