Nationwide Alert: Ground Beef Recall Due To E. Coli Contamination

A nationwide ground beef recall was issued on April 20 for ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. Coli. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a public health alert with more information.

After discovering that Greater Omaha Packing Co. "inadvertently" distributed ground beef that was found to be contaminated with E. coli to retail and food service locations nationwide, the company reported the problem. It was noted that the contaminated ground beef is available for purchase. But, it may still be in consumers’ refrigerators and freezers.

"The problem was discovered by the establishment while conducting an inventory of product that was on hold because it was found positive for E. coli O157:H7," stated the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). They continued, "The company notified FSIS that they inadvertently used a portion of the contaminated beef to produce ground beef products that they subsequently shipped into commerce."

According to the USDA, the contaminated ground beef has a freeze/use-by date of April 28, 2024, a packaging date of "032824," and an establishment number "EST 960A" inside the USDA mark of inspection.

If you believe you may have the contaminated products, images of the label on the contaminated products can be found here. the full list of products, including the description, product label, lot code, and case code can be found on the FSIS website [view labels].

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), E. coli is a bacteria that can cause severe food poisoning, including stomach cramps, diarrhea, and fever. It can be potentially deadly to young children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems. It’s worth noting that there have been no confirmed reports of illnesses linked to the contaminated ground beef. If you suspect symptoms of E. coli, you should seek immediate medical attention.

The CDC advises that E. coli can be killed by cooking ground beef to an internal temperature of 160°F, measured with a thermometer. However, if you have any of the contaminated ground beef, you should not consume it, even if cooked to the proper temperature.

If you have contaminated ground beef at home, you should not eat it. You should dispose of it or report it to the place of purchase for a full refund. For questions or concerns, you can reach out to Gina Adami, a representative of Greater Omaha Packing Co., Inc. 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 who 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/.

A new Consumer Reports study has ranked the riskiest foods. They analyzed data from the CDC, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Department of Agriculture between 2017 and 2022. Their researchers focused on "widely consumed foods" that had recalls over a specific duration of time.

According to Consumers Reports, the CDC estimates that 48 million people each year fall ill from salmonella, listeria, E. coli, or other bacteria or viruses in food. They said most recover on their own after a few days. But about 130,000 people are hospitalized and 3,000 die from foodborne illnesses yearly.

Some of the foods that are ranked at the top of the list include bagged salads, poultry products, and deli meats. The top five are leafy greens, deli cheese and meat, ground beef, onions, and poultry. Bagged salads and other leafy greens ranked number one on the list. They found 50 different recalls linked to them since 2017. Also, it has the most caused deaths. Last on the list at number ten is flour. Unlike leafy greens, flour has had zero total deaths.

"We aren’t saying people need to avoid these foods entirely," says Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at CR, who led the analysis. "After all, these foods are all usually safe, and many of them are in fact important parts of a healthy diet." Ronholm continued to say in Consumers Report that the list underscores the "importance of following best food safety practices with all of your foods, including knowing how to track, and respond, to food recalls when they happen." Read the entire list, and learn how you can reduce your risk at Consumer Reports.