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US agricultural officials have warned that ground beef meat sold at Whole Foods markets nationwide could be contaminated with potentially dangerous E. coli bacteria.
Authorities issued a public health warning against a pound vacuum packed package of organic launcher beef produced on May 22 and May 23 by NPC Processing Inc. of Shelburne, Vermont. Products have days of use on June 19th and June 20th.
The US Food Safety Inspection Service did not request a recall because the product could no longer be purchased. However, it may still be found in consumer refrigerators and freezers.
The meat was produced in Australia or Uruguay, processed in the US and sent to distributors in Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois and Maryland, and Whole Foods stores nationwide. The issue was discovered when an official from the company informed the FSI that it had shipped a beef product that tested E. coli O157:H7, a type of bacteria that could cause serious illness.
To date, no product-related illnesses have been reported, officials said. Consumers who have the product must either throw it away or return it to the store.
E. coli can cause symptomatic infections, including dehydration, diarrhea and convulsions. Most people recover within a week, but some people can become severely ill and develop dangerous kidney conditions. Children under the age of 5 and the elderly are at most at risk.
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The Associated Press School of Health Sciences is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institution’s Science and Education Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. AP is solely responsible for all content.
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