National Beef Packing of Kansascapproximately 22,737 pounds of raw ground beef products as they may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
The recall affects 10lb. packages of 'National Beef' 80/20 Coarse Ground Chuck, package code '0481'; 10lb. packs of 'National Beef' 81/19 Coarse Ground Beef, package code '0421'; 10lb. packs of 'National Beef' 80/20 Fine Ground Chuck, package code '0484.'
These products have a 'USE BY/SELL BY DATE' of 14 June 2013, and bear the establishment number 'EST. 208A' inside the USDA mark of inspection.
The products were produced on 25 May 2013, and shipped to various institutions and retail establishments in Texas, Tennessee, Kansas, Mississippi, Illinois, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, and Arizona.
FSIS and the company are concerned that some products may be frozen and in shoppers' freezers.
The problem was identified during a routine FSIS monitoring which confirmed a positive result for E.coli O157:H7.
Subsequent investigation determined the firm was the sole supplier of the source materials used to produce the positive product.
FSIS and the company have received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products.
E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps 2-8 days after exposure to the organism.