The Costco in Coon Rapids, Minnesota is recalling an undetermined amount of lean fresh ground beef that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The product is 383 units of 88% lean fresh ground beef (88/12). It bears the Costco item number 33724 under the Costco label. This product was sold directly to 342 customers in the Costco located at 12547 Riverdale Boulevard in Coon Rapids between September 4 and September 7, 2013.
There is a link between this ground beef and illness. Based on epidemiological and trace-back investigations, one person has been identified in Minnesota who had an illness onset date of September 29, 2013.
The product was prepared from bull meat and finely ground meat from othe Costco Wholesale plant in Tracy, California, and bench trim prepared at the Costco Wholesale in Coon Rapids. The steaks or roasts that were the source of the bench trim may have come from as many as 16 federally inspected establishments.
This product is most likely still in home freezers. If you have it, discard it in a sealed container and wash your hands and anything else that came in contact with the beef very thoroughly. You can return it to the place of purchase for a refund.
The symptoms of an E. coli O157:H7 infection include dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and severe abdominal cramps. The symptoms appear 2-8 days after exposure. Some people with this illness develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious complication that can cause kidney failure and death. Symptoms of HUS include easy bruising, pallor, and decreased urine output.
It’s very important that everyone cook ground beef thoroughly to a temperature of 160 degrees F, as determined by a food thermometer. Never eat medium or rare ground beef. Cross-contamination is also a big problem with these hazardous products, which is why beef contaminated with this bacteria is illegal to sell to consumers.
