More than 113,000 pounds of raw ground beef is being recalled after an E. coli outbreak sickens at least 156 people across 10 states
- A meat supplier is recalling 113,424 pounds of raw ground beef due to E. coli concerns.
- The thousands of pounds of ground beef were shipped from meat supplier K2D to distributors in Florida and Georgia, who then shipped the product to restaurants.
- The recall follows an E. coli outbreak that has sickened 156 people across 10 states, though the USDA says a "definitive link" has not been established.
A meat supplier is recalling roughly 113,424 pounds of raw ground beef as an E. coli outbreak sickens at least 156 people.
On Tuesday, Carrollton, Georgia-based K2D Foods, which does business as Colorado Premium Foods, recalled more than 113,400 pounds of raw ground beef products in response to to E. coli concerns, the US Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) reported.
The products in question are 24-pound vacuum-packed packages of "ground beef puck." The recalled raw beef products have use-through dates of April 14, April 17, April 20, April 23, April 28, and April 30, 2019.
The raw beef was shipped from K2D to distributors in Florida and Georgia, who then shipped the product to restaurants.
The recall follows an E. coli outbreak that has sickened 156 people across 10 states, though the FSIS said that a "definitive link" has not yet been established.
"FSIS and its public health partners, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Tennessee Department of Health, have been investigating an outbreak of E. coli O103," the FSIS said in a statement. "Unopened, intact ground beef collected as part of the ongoing investigation from a restaurant location, where multiple case-patients reported dining, tested positive for E. coli O103."
The cause of the E. coli outbreak, which has resulted in 20 hospitalizations, has stumped investigators for weeks.
E. coli infections often induce severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting. Roughly 5% to 10% of people who are infected develop hemolytic uremic syndrome, a potentially life-threatening kidney complication.
To prevent an E. coli infection, the CDC recommends that people wash their hands, cook meat thoroughly, and avoid cross-contamination of food. Experts also advise people to avoid raw milk and water, unpasteurized juices, and some other high-risk foods.