CLACKAMAS, Ore. — A meat distributor based in Clackamas, Oregon is recalling approximately 28,356 pounds of ground beef products due to possible E. coli contamination, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
The recalled items from Interstate Meat Distributors, Inc. were all raw ground beef products produced on Dec. 20 and included certain WinCo, Walmart, Albertsons and Kroger labels, and they all have establishment number "EST. 965" inside the USDA inspection next to the use or freeze by date.
The news release included a full list of the recalled products, which were shipped to retailers in Oregon, Washington, California, Utah, Wyoming, Nevada and Arizona.
FSIS began investigating after a retail package of ground beef was submitted to a third-party laboratory and tested positive for the O157:H7 type of E. coli, according to the news release.
Customers should check their refrigerators and freezers for any recalled products and should not consume them, FSIS said. Any recalled items should be thrown away or return them to the place of purchase.
E. coli is a bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps 2-8 days after exposure. Most people recover within a week, but in some cases the illness can lead to kidney failure.
Ground beef should only be consumed once it has been cooked to a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit, confirmed by a food thermometer.
