There's an Active E. Coli Outbreak Linked to Ground Beef Sold Nationwide—Here's What to Know

Check your refrigerator and freezer ASAP.

Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD

There’s a public health alert on ground beef products sold nationwide, according to the Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. This is due to an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that has potentially contaminated the meat.

The complete list of at-risk products include ground beef patties as well as 5- and 10-pound beef chubs (ground beef sold in vacuum-sealed rolls). There is no recall due to the meat being off the market and no longer available to purchase, however the ground beef products have a printed “Use/Freeze By” date of April 22, 2024. This means they can still be in consumers' refrigerators or freezers, so check yours immediately for these potentially contaminated products.

Related: How Long Can You Freeze Ground Beef?

If you have one of the affected products with the matching date and USDA inspection stamp of EST.960A, dispose of it immediately or return it to its place of purchase. E. coli O157:H7 can cause severe illness resulting in symptoms like diarrhea, abdominal cramping, dehydration and more. It can be deadly for those age 65 or older and for young children, so talk to your health care provider as soon as possible if you think you may have been exposed.

Consumers with questions about the public health alert can contact Gina Adami, Greater Omaha Packing Co., Inc. Representative, at 402-575-4702 or via email at gadami@gmail.com.

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Read the original article on Eating Well.