Illinois Company Recalls 6,768 Pounds of Ground Beef Due to E. Coli Contamination
WASHINGTON, Dec. 31, 2023 – Valley Meats, LLC, a Coal Valley, Ill. establishment, has issued a recall for approximately 6,768 pounds of raw ground beef products that may be contaminated with the potentially deadly bacterium, E. coli O157:H7. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) made the announcement today.
The raw ground beef items, produced on December 22, 2023, bear establishment number “EST. 5712” inside the USDA mark of inspection. The recalled products were distributed to locations in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Michigan for further distribution to restaurants and other institutional users.
The problem was discovered when the establishment notified FSIS that samples of ground beef products submitted to a third-party laboratory for microbiological analysis tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. At this time, there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to the consumption of these products.
E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and abdominal cramps 2–8 days after exposure. While most people recover within a week, some may develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can be life-threatening, especially for children under 5-years-old and older adults.
FSIS advises consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen ground beef, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160 F. The agency also urges restaurants and institutions not to serve the recalled products and for consumers to either throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.
Valley Meats, LLC is conducting a recall of the affected products, and FSIS will routinely conduct recall effectiveness checks to ensure that the product is no longer available to consumers. Further information about the recall and any retail distribution lists will be available on the FSIS website.
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 [email protected]. Additionally, members of the media and consumers with further questions can contact representatives from Valley Meats, LLC for more information.