A beef recall was implemented by a Kansas meatpacker after they found that the ground beef may by contaminated with E. coli bacteria, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service.
About 50,100 pounds of ground beef were recalled as the USDA found E.coli O157:H7 in the meat produced by the National Beef Packing Co of Liberal, Kansas during a routine inspection. There have not been any reports of illness as of yet, CNN reports.
E. Coli can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and kidney failure in severe cases. Children, the elderly and those with weak immune systems are most likely to contract the illness.
The meat products were mad on July 18 and were shipped in 40-pound to 60-pound cases to retailers, wholesalers, and food service distributors across the country. It has a use/freeze by date of August 7.
The meat that has been recalled has the number "EST. 208A" inside the USDA mark of inspection.
The company is taking the issue very seriously.
"We are working closely with authorities to investigate this matter and are contacting our customers who have purchased this product," the company said.
Some believe the recall is an overabundance of caution.
"It's nothing. It's so small compared to what we produce and nobody was sickened," said K&S Financials analyst Jack Salzsieder. "Packers are careful about what they do. Even if there was the slightest hint of a problem, they'd recall it."
According to the USDA, 508.4 million pounds of beef were produced in the week ending July 27 and 14.5 billion pounds have been produced this year.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 76,000 people are infected with E. Coli each year.
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