A deadly E. coli O26 outbreak associated with Cargill Meat Solutions raw ground beef has sickened 17 people and killed one person, according to a USDA recall notice. About 132,606 pounds of ground beef product were recalled.
The ground beef was made from the chuck portion of a carcass that that may have been contaminated with the E. coli O26 bacteria. The beef was produced at the Cargill Meat Solutions facility in Fort Morgan, Colorado.
The recall notice states that “The Cargill Meat Solutions’ ground beef products were identified following further investigation related to Recall 072-2018, conducted on Aug. 30, 2018, where ground beef products were recalled in connection with the E. coli O26 outbreak.” That recall described an outbreak that had sickened people in Florida that was associated with Publix ground beef.
Cargill supplied that ground beef to Publix. The ground beef was produced and packed on June 21, 2018. FSIS traceback information found that the people sickened in this outbreak ate ground beef purchased at stores supplied by Cargill Meat Solutions.
You can contact attorney Fred Pritzker who has represented many clients sickened with E. coli outbreaks after eating contaminated ground beef, at 1-888-377-8900.
Food safety attorney Fred Pritzker said, “Unfortunately, this deadly outbreak is just one in a long line associated with ground beef products. People have to handle raw meat carefully because there is always the potential of contamination.”
You can see the long list of recalled products, along with the package size, freeze by date, and case code at the USDA web site. Some of the recalled products include Excel Chuck Ground Beef, Sterling Silver Chuck Ground Beef, Certified Angus Beef Chuck Ground Beef, Our Certified Fine Grind Ground Beef, and Fire River Farms Classic Ground Beef.
E. coli O26 is a server of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli bacteria. These pathogens make a toxin called Shiga toxins that attack the red blood cells in the body. These cells then travel to the kidneys and can clog small tubes, causing a complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).
There is no more information about the patient case count in this deadly E. coli O26 outbreak, where they live, their ages, or if anyone has been hospitalized. The notice did not state whether anyone has developed HUS.
FSIS is concerned that some of the ground beef is frozen and in consumers’ freezers. If you purchased any of the ground beef listed in the recall notice, do not eat it, even if you are going to cook it thoroughly. Cross-contamination may deposit the pathogenic bacteria in your kitchen. Throw it away in a sealed package or take it back to the store where you bought it for a refund. Wash your hands well with soap and water after handling this ground beef.
