Massive Ground Beef Recall: E Coli Outbreak

There are two recent outbreaks of E. coli due to contaminated beef that have sickened more than a dozen people in the last few weeks.

The first E. coli outbreak is spreading across New England and has been linked to ground meat patties from  Crocetti’s Oakdale Packing Company, working with South Shore Meats in Brocton, MA.

School children visiting Plymouth MA began experiencing abdominal discomfort and diarrhea which was soon tied to eating hamburgers on their three day field trip.

Each recalled box of beef holds the establishment number “EST. 6336” inside the USDA inspection sticker.  The product may also hold the date code 281.  The boxes are labeled Beef Sirloin Patties, Beef Teres Major Steaks, Beef Butt Steaks, Beef Top Butt Steaks, and Beef Filet of Sirloin.  Most of the recalled beef was distributed in Massachusetts.

The second outbreak of E. coli has been linked to two deaths and almost a dozen illnesses, mostly in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The meat packaging company involved is Fairbanks Farms, located in New York.  They have reported the meat was distributed to Trader Joe’s, Giant, BJ’s and Acme.  The number inside the USDA stamp on these boxes is EST 492.  The “sell-by” date ranges between September 19 and September 28.

If you have any questions regarding the Fairbanks Farms beef you can call 1-877-546-0122.

It is always important to remember ground beef handling safety when preparing your family’s meals.  Keep the raw beef away from countertops and other food areas while washing your hands thoroughly after working with the meat.  Furthermore, all ground beef should reach an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees in order to kill bacteria.