OMAHA, Neb.—Nebraska Beef Ltd. is recalling nearly 532,000 pounds of ground beef produced in the past two months because the meat has been linked to an outbreak of E. coli illnesses.
The federal government said late Monday that some of the Omaha-based company’s beef was sold by grocer Kroger Co., and investigators traced the meat to Nebraska Beef after 38 people in Ohio and Michigan became ill. Kroger already recalled beef it sold in those states.
Much of the beef that Nebraska Beef is recalling was sold to wholesalers or other processing companies, so it may be difficult for consumers to determine if they have any of the beef.
Beef involved in the recall went to businesses in Nebraska, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas.
Nebraska Beef spokesman Bill Lamson said the company, which slaughters about 1,000 cattle a day, decided to recall its product as a precaution. He said government officials contacted Nebraska Beef over the weekend.
Lamson said Nebraska Beef was not Kroger’s only beef supplier.
The recall involves beef trim produced on five different dates between May 16 and June 24.
Details about everything Nebraska Beef recalled is available online at the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service site, .
USDA spokeswoman Amanda Eamich said the investigation into the illnesses reported in Michigan and Ohio is ongoing.
“We hope that consumers are more vigilant in safely preparing their hamburgers,” Eamich said.
Cooking ground beef to an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees should kill any E. coli bacteria that is present. The USDA recommends that consumers use a meat thermometer to verify that temperature when cooking.
The E. coli 0157:H7 variant can cause severe illness and even death in humans. Symptoms of E. coli infection include stomach cramps and diarrhea that may turn bloody within one to three days.
Nineteen people have been hospitalized since the first case of E. coli linked to the beef was identified May 30, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One person has developed a type of kidney failure called hemolytic-uremic syndrome.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that E. coli sickens about 73,000 people and kills 61 each year in the United States. Most of the deaths are people with weak immune systems such as the elderly or very young.
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On the Net:
USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service:
U.S. Centers for Disease Control E. coli site:
