NJ Company Recalls Over 40K Pounds Of Ground Beef Due To E. Coli

SWEDESBORO, NJ — A South Jersey company is recalling more than 40,000 pounds of ground beef that may be contaminated with E. coli, federal officials announced.

Swedesboro-based Lakeside Refrigerated Services is recalling about 42,922 pounds of raw ground beef items that were produced on June 1 out of concerns that it was contaminated with E. coli, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced.

The problem was discovered during routine FSIS testing, and there have been no reports of anyone getting sick as a result. Anyone concerned about getting sick or being injured should contact their healthcare provider. Anyone who has any of the following items should throw them away or return them. These items were shipped nationwide, and they are subject to the recall:

• 1-lb. vacuum packages containing “MARKETSIDE BUTCHER ORGANIC GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF” with a use or freeze by date of 07/01/20 and lot code P-53298-82.
• 1-lb. vacuum packages containing four ¼ lb. pieces of “MARKETSIDE BUTCHER ORGANIC GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF PATTIES” with a use or freeze by date of June 27, 2020, and lot code P-53934-28.
• 3-lb. vacuum packages containing three 1 lb. pieces of “MARKETSIDE BUTCHER ORGANIC GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF 93% LEAN / 7% FAT” and a use or freeze by date of 07/01/20 and lot code P53929-70.
• 1-lb. tray packages containing four ¼ lb. pieces of “THOMAS FARMS GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF PATTIES 85% LEAN / 15% FAT” with a use or freeze by date of 06/25/20 and lot code P53944-10.
• 4-lb. tray packages containing 10 ¼ lb. pieces of “THOMAS FARMS GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF PATTIES 80% LEAN / 20% FAT” with a use or freeze by date of 06/25/20 and lot code P53937-45.
• 1-lb. vacuum packages containing four ¼ lb. pieces of “THOMAS FARMS GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF PATTIES 85% LEAN / 15% FAT” with a use or freeze by date of 06/27/20 and lot code P53935-25.
• 1-lb. vacuum packages containing “VALUE PACK FRESH GROUND BEEF 76% LEAN / 24% FAT” with a use or freeze by date of 07/01/20 and lot code P53930-18.

E. coli is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps for anywhere from 2-8 days. The average amount of time that symptoms last is 3-4 days, according to the FSIS.

Most people recover within a week, but some people can develop a type of kidney failure known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is most common is children under 5 years old and some older adults.

Symptoms of HUS include easy bruising, pallor, and decreased urine output. Anyone with these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.

FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160°F. Use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature and follow this chart: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/safetempchart.

Anyone with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or live chat via Ask USDA from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Information is also available at Ask USDA or by sending a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. To report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, visit the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.