Just before Memorial Day, recall for 62,000 pounds of meat issued by USDA

An Illinois packing company is recalled more than 62,000 pounds of raw beef products on May 22. Aurora Packing Company recalled the products due to possible contaminations with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said.

The raw beef products were packaged on April 19, 2019 and bear establishment number "EST.788" inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped nationwide for further distribution and processing, according to the FSIS. 

FSIS provided a spreadsheet which contains a list of the products subject to recall and a PDF of labels. 

The problem was discovered during traceback activities in response to random sample testing by FSIS. According to FSIS, there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. 

Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider. E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps two to eight days (three to four days, on average) after exposure the organism, according to a FSIS press release. While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

This condition can occur among persons of any age but is most common in children under 5-years old and older adults. It is marked by easy bruising, pallor and decreased urine output. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.

FSIS is concerned that some product may be in institutional facility freezers. Institutions who have purchased these products are urged not to use them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume product that has been cooked to a temperature of 165°F.

The only way to confirm that beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature, https://www.fsis.usda.gov/safetempchart.

Consumers with questions about the recall can contact David Stewart, Director of Sales and Marketing for Aurora Packing Company, Inc., at (630) 897-0551.

Shoppers who have concerns about the quality of their food should report any instances of contamination to one of the government agencies that handles product safety investigations.

Carol Spaeth-Bauer at 262-875-9490 or carol.spaeth-bauer@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at cspaethbauer or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/carol.spaethbauer.