6.5 Million Pounds Of Ground Beef Recalled For Salmonella Contamination

For the second time in as many months, a massive quantity of ground beef is being recalled for pathogen contamination. Last month, 132,000 pounds of Cargill ground beef were tainted by E. Coli. This time, beef producer JBS is recalling a staggering 6.5 million pounds of ground beef following an outbreak of Salmonella.

Photo: Carnivore Locavore // Flickr, CC 2.0

The recall was just announced by the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), who has been involved in tracking the potential outbreak since September.

At least 57 people from 16 different states were infected by the Salmonella bacteria that was linked to the affected ground beef.

In this outbreak, the pathogenic strain contaminating the meat is Salmonella Newport, which can cause a common foodborne illness known as salmonellosis.

Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fevers that start anywhere from 12-72 hours after consuming. The disease lasts for about 4-7 days, and while most recover without a need for treatment, diarrhea can become severe enough to require hospitalization.

A host of different types of ground beef, including steakburgers and ground chuck, were affected by the recall.

You can view a full list of the products under recall here. The USDA will also update with specific locations and institutions the beef was distributed to in the future, but have stated that the meat was sent nationwide.

If you have beef in you fridge or freezer that matches up with the USDA’s list of products, you can either throw it away or return it to the place of purchase, according to the USDA’s release.