Cargill Meat Solutions has recalled more than 16,000 pounds of ground beef sold at Walmart stores because the meat may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. There haven’t been any reports of people getting sick, but this strain of the bacteria can cause serious illness and even death in some people.
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The meat was shipped to Walmart stores in Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia, according to Chuck Miller, a spokesperson for Cargill.
Walmart has also posted a list of specific stores that carried the recalled meat.
Themeat was produced on April 26 and 27, so the recall involves only packages sold after those dates.
All six recalled products are stamped with an establishment number “EST. 86P” on the label on the back of the package.
These four recalled products are marked with lot code 118 on the back of the package:
- 1.33-pound plastic-wrapped trays containing four “Prime Rib Beef Steak Burgers”
- 2.25-pound plastic-wrapped trays containing “80% lean 20% fat All Natural Ground Beef Chuck”
- 1.33-pound plastic-wrapped trays containing four “80% lean 20% fat All Natural Ground Beef Chuck Patties”
- 1.33-pound plastic-wrapped trays containing four “90% lean 10% fat All Natural Ground Beef Sirloin Patties”
The following two recalled products have a lot code of 117:
- 2.25-pound plastic-wrapped trays containing “93% lean 7% fat All Natural Lean Ground Beef”
- 2.25-pound plastic-wrapped trays containing “85% lean 15% fat All Natural Angus Premium Ground Beef”
Cargill Meat Solutions did not respond to CR’s questions about how the ground beef may have become contaminated. A Walmart spokesperson told CR that consumers with recalled products can obtain a refund if they return to the store where they purchased the product and provide a receipt.
Check your refrigerator or freezer to make sure you don’t have any of the recalled ground beef. If you do, throw it out.Don’t eat it. You can’t tell whether something is contaminated with E. coli by the way the meat looks or smells.
If you have questions about the recall, call the Cargill Meat Solutions hotline at 844-419-1574.
Risk of Ground Meat
Unlike whole cuts of meat, like a steak for example, a package of ground beef can contain meat from multiple animals, says James E. Rogers, PhD, director of food safety and testing at CR. The processing of the meat also means much more of its surface comes into contact with different types of equipment. “So if any single animal or any piece of equipment is contaminated with E. coli, the bacteria can easily and quickly spread to many, many packages of ground beef,” he says.
Symptoms of E. Coli
Symptoms of E. coli—diarrhea (sometimes bloody), stomach cramps, and vomiting—can occur between three to nine days after exposure. Most people get better in about a week.
But for others, symptoms can become more severe: high fever, dehydration, and not being able to keep anything down, including water. If that happens, it’s time to see a doctor. The problem is that the infection can spread, and cause a form of kidney failure that can sometimes be fatal.
Children younger than age 5, adults over age 65, and people with weakened immune systems—because they have HIV or diabetes or are undergoing cancer treatments, for example—are the most susceptible to serious infection.
Lisa L. Gill
Lisa L. Gill is an award-winning investigative reporter. She has been at Consumer Reports since 2008, covering health and food safety—heavy metals in the food supply and foodborne illness—plus healthcare and prescription drug costs, medical debt, and credit scores. Lisa also testified before Congress and the Food and Drug Administration about her work on drug costs and drug safety. She lives in a DIY tiny home, where she gardens during the day and stargazes the Milky Way at night.
