Beef Recall: The National Beef Packing Co. Recalls 50,000 Pounds of Beef Over E. Coli Concerns

A company in Kansas is recalling 50,000 pounds of ground beef because of fears of E coli contamination.

CNN reported that The National Beef Packing Co. products which are shipped all over the U.S. might be contaminated with Ecoli, according to the Department of Agriculture.

The National Beef Packing Co. said in an online statement that it was ordering "a voluntary recall for NatureSource Natural Beef, Naturewell Natural Beef and National Beef commodity ground beef."

"We are working closely with authorities to investigate this matter and are contacting our customers who have purchased this product," the company said.

E coli can be very serious and cause things like dehydration, bloody diahrrea and in its most sever cases, kidney failure.

"The product carries the USDA mark of inspection, bearing the establishment number "EST. 208A." The possibility of contamination was raised in a routine Food Safety and Inspection Service inspection," reported CNN.

The beef products were produced on July 18 and were shipped in 40 to 60 pound cases to retailers and whole salers.

"It's nothing. It's so small compared to what we produce and nobody was sickened," said K&S Financials analyst Jack Salzsieder to Reuters."Packers are careful about what they do. Even if there was the slightest hint of a problem, they'd recall it."

The recall is the second for the company which recalled 22,000 pounds of beef in June over concerns about E coli.

"E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium found in recent years in various food products, including raw beef and prepackaged greens, such as spinach and salad mixes," reported CNN.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that there are approximately 76,000 people infected with E. coli every year.