6.5 Million Pounds Of Beef Recalled
Nationwide Recall Of Salmonella-Infected Beef
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The federal government said 57 people in 16 states have become ill since Aug. 5 after eating infected beef.
JBS Tolleson Inc. of Tolleson, Arizona, is recalling approximately 6.5 million pounds of various raw beef products that may be contaminated with Salmonella Newport, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.
The raw beef items, including ground beef, were packaged from July 26 to Sept. 7 and sold under a variety of labels, including Cedar River Farms, Cedar River Farms Natural Beef, Comnor Perfect Choice, Gourmet Burger, Grass Run Farms Natural Beef, JBS Generic, Showcase and Showcase/Walmart.
The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 267” inside the USDA mark of inspection and were shipped to retail locations and institutions nationwide.
On Sept. 5, the USDA was notified of an investigation into Salmonella Newport illnesses with reported consumption of several different products by patients. Working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state public health and agriculture partners, federal investigators were able to trace the ground beef products back to JBS.
This is a class I recall, meaning there is a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death. Consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses. The most common symptoms are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after consumption. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days. Most people recover without treatment. In some persons, however, the diarrhea may be so severe that hospitalization is necessary. Older adults, infants, and persons with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop a severe illness. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact their health care provider.
The government is concerned some product may remain in consumers’ freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. The products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
The USDA routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list will be posted online at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.
Consumers are advised 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. Other cuts of beef should be cooked to a temperature of 145 °F and allowed to rest for at least 3 minutes. The only way to confirm that ground beef or other cuts of beef are cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature.
Consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact the JBS USA Consumer Hotline at (800) 727-2333.
Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. The online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/reportproblem.
