The USDA has posted a recall notice for Central Valley Meat Co.’s Stater Bros. ground beef that links that product to a deadly Salmonella Dublin outbreak that has sickened at least 10 people in 6 states. The notice states, “Working in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health partners, FSIS determined that there is a link between ground beef products from Central Valley Meat Co., Inc., and this illness cluster.”
The company is recalling about 34,222 ponds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with Salmonella Dublin. These ground beef items were produced on July 13, 2019. They include:
- 1 pound chub packages of “STATER BROS. 100% PURE GROUND BEEF 96% LEAN 4% FAT” with lot 2049 on the retail label, lot 19204 on the case label, and a Use By date of 08-14-19.
- 2 pound chub packages of “STATER BROS. 100% PURE GROUND BEEF 93% LEAN 7% FAT” with lot 2049 printed on the retail label, lot 19204 on the case label, and a Use By date of 08-14-19.
- 20 pound cases containing “STATER BROS 93/7 Ground Beef 10# Chub 10 Lb. Chubs/ 2 Count” with lot 19204 printed on the case label and a Use By date of 08-14-19.
These items have the establishment number “EST. 6063A” on the retail labels next to the lot number and inside the USDA mark of inspection on the case labels. The ground beef was shipped to retail locations in California.
Check your freezer carefully to make sure you have not purchased these products. If you have, throw the ground beef away in a sealed package, or take it back to the place of purchase for a refund. Wash your hands well with soap and water after handling these products.
Food safety attorney Fred Pritzker said, “I am glad that officials found the source of the pathogen in this tragic outbreak. No one should get sick or die because they purchased ground beef from a grocery store.” If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with food poisoning, you can contact attorney Fred Pritzker for help by calling 1-888-377-8900 or 612-338-0202.
Traceback investigation conducted by the CDC and the USDA revealed that a case patient consumed ground beef produced by Central Valley Meat before getting sick. So far, 10 patients in 6 states have been identified in this outbreak. Illness onset dates range from August 8, 2019 to September 22, 2019.
Symptoms of a Salmonella infection include a fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea that may be bloody. These symptoms typically appear within 12 to 72 hours of eating food contaminated with the pathogen. The illness usually lasts for 4 to 7 days, and most people do not need a doctor’s care. However, in this outbreak, eight people were hospitalized and one person in California died.
And yet again, the notice states that consumers should always cook ground beef to a temperature of 160°F, as confirmed with a food thermometer. However, processors, distributors, restaurants, and retail outlets are required to sell food that is not contaminated with enough bacteria to make someone sick.
