E. Coli Tainted Beef Recall Hits NoVA, Grillers Nationwide

WASHINGTON, DC — As the kick-off to summer, Memorial Day means firing up the grill, but there's a warning for DC and Virginia chefs planning to throw steaks on the barbeque: More than 62,000 pounds of beef have been recalled nationwide over concerns the meat could be contaminated with E. coli. So check those labels to avoid serving up tainted patties this holiday weekend.

Federal health officials on Wednesday said that Aurora Packing Company in Illinois had recalled raw beef products that were packaged April 19. The recalled products contain the establishment number “EST. 788” inside the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s mark of inspection.

There have been no reported cases of people failing sick, but federal health officials are urging consumers to check the labels for any beef you have in the freezer. The tainted beef includes cuts of steaks, including ribeyes, ribs and briskets. Click here to see the labels.

A list of specific states where the products were shipped wasn’t immediately available. The USDA said the beef was distributed nationwide.

A random sample test uncovered the possible E. Coli contamination, the USDA said. Anyone who bought the beef should throw it out or return it to the place of purchase.

Escherichia coli, abbreviated as E. coli, are bacteria found in the environment, food and intestines of people and animals, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most strains are harmless but some can cause you to fall ill and experience diarrhea, urinary tract infections, respiratory illness and pneumonia, among other symptoms.

Beef should be cooked to a temperature of 165 degrees to ensure that any harmful bacteria present are killed; use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature to check that your meat is safely done, says the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Consumers with food safety questions can pose them at AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday.

Patch staffers Dan Hampton and Shannon Antinori contributed to this report