E. coli Contamination Alert: A Warning from the Food Safety and Inspection Service

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a warning that some ground beef products may be contaminated with E. coli. Over a dozen potentially tainted products were manufactured by the Greater Omaha Packing Co., including both patties and tubes of raw ground beef. The FSIS is concerned that these products may be in consumers’ and food service institutions’ freezers, and they are urging the public not to consume them due to the possible E. coli contamination.

However, there was no recall of the tainted ground beef products because they are no longer available for purchase. The problem was discovered by the company while conducting an inventory of products on hold due to a positive E. coli 0157:H7 finding. They unintentionally used a portion of the contaminated beef to produce ground beef products that were then shipped into commerce. Both food service institutions and retailers received the affected meat products.

The specific strain of E. coli that may be present in the ground beef products is potentially deadly and can cause symptoms like dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and abdominal cramps within 2-8 days (3-4 days on average) after exposure. Despite the contamination, no illnesses have been reported from consuming the ground beef products mentioned in the FSIS public health alert. Consumers are advised to dispose of the products or return them to the retailer if they still have access to them before consuming any other food or entering a restaurant or other food service institution where these items may have been used in preparing meals. Greater Omaha Packing Co., which supplies beef to over 70 countries, is responsible for a large percentage of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli illnesses in the United States, so it is crucial for consumers who have purchased their meat from this company recently to take heed of this warning and take necessary precautions