Federal government officials have recalled more than 22,000 pounds of ground beef amid fears that it may be contaminated with E.coli.
The Daily Mail reports that even though no illnesses have been reported food safety agents feel the threat is real enough to classify the outbreak as a Class 1 health hazard, meaning that it was probable the beef could cause serious health problems if ingested.
Young children, the elderly and sick are at particular risk from E.coli, which causes diarrhea, dehydration and, in extreme cases, death. All ground beef shoppers are now being encouraged to cook ground beef all the way through, to an eternal temperature of 160F.
The website also reports the meat, with a sell date of July 14, was flagged during a routine inspection at the National Beef Packing company in Liberal, Kansas. It includes 10lb packages of National Beef 80/20 Coarse Ground Chuck, package code 0481; 10lb packages of National Beef 81/19 Coarse Ground Beef, package code 0421”;and 10lb packages of National Beef 80/20 Fine Ground Chuck, package code 0484.
“We are contacting our customers who have purchased this product,” United States Food Safety and Inspection Service said in a statement, adding that the fear is shoppers may still have the potentially contaminated food in their freezers.
A spokesman for the National Beef Packing company added “this recall is voluntary, and there have been no reported illnesses related to the recall.'
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