As a (relatively) inexpensive and versatile protein, ground beef is a staple in many meat-eating American households. In fact, you might have some in your refrigerator or freezer right now. If that’s the case, you’re going to want to check the label: More than 120,000 pounds of ground beef is currently being recalled over health concerns, according to an announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Here’s what to know.
Why is ground beef being recalled?
Lakeside Refrigerated Services of Swedesboro, N.J. has issued a recall of 120,872 pounds of ground beef products because they may be contaminated with E. coli. The FSIS identified the issue during their routine testing of the company’s imported products, the FSIS reports.
At this point, there have been no confirmed reports of illness or adverse reactions linked to eating the ground beef. According to the FSIS, this type of E.coli (O103) makes people sick an average of three to four days after eating food it has contaminated—though the onset of symptoms can begin after as few as two or as many as eight days. The most common symptoms are vomiting and (possibly bloody) diarrhea, though some people experience more severe infections.
In other words, it’s not one of those situations where you eat a bad burger and are vomiting within a few hours.
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Which ground beef products are included in the recall?
All of the recalled ground beef was produced between Feb. 1, 2022 and April 8, 2022, and include establishment number “EST. 46841” inside the USDA mark of inspection.
The potentially contaminated beef was shipped to retail locations across the country—including Walmart—and sold under the following brand names:
- Nature’s Reserve
- SEG
- Thomas Farms
- Tajima
- Marketside Butcher (a Walmart house brand)
- Weis
The FSIS has provided images of the relevant labels to help consumers identify the recalled products. Additionally, some of the recalled ground beef was sold to retailers in bulk—likely to be packaged in-store—and not under a specific brand.
What to do if you’ve purchased the recalled beef
In addition to not eating the recalled ground beef, the FSIS recommends either throwing the products away, or bringing them back to the retailer where you purchased them.
If you have any questions regarding the recall, you can contact Lakeside Refrigerated Services at 800-493-9042 or email them at customercare@lakesiderefrigerated.com.