The USDA has issued a public health alert for Bismillah Halal ground beef for possible E. coli O103 contamination. A recall was not requested because this product is no longer available for purchase. There have been no confirmed reports of illnesses received to date in connection with the consumption of this item. The recalling firm is Bismillah Halal Meats of Marietta, Georgia.
The raw ground beef was produced and sold directly to consumers from April 10 to April 23, 2025. All products were weighed, wrapped, and labeled in store at the time of purchase. All ground beef products that were produced and sold by this retailer from April 10 to April 23, 205 are included in this alert.
This product does not have an establishment number or the USDA mark of inspection because it was produced under retail exemption. The problem was discovered and the recall was issued when a sample of the meat was collected and analyzed by FSIs during retail surveillance. The results showed the presence of E. coli O103.
This pathogen is a Shiga toxin-producing strain of E. coli (STEC) and it can cause serious illness. Many labs do not test for non-O157 STEC becasue it is more difficult to identify.
Most people who contract this infection get sick two to eight days after eating food contaminated with the bacteria. Symptoms of a STEC infection can include a mild fever, vomiting, and the characteristic severe abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. In some patients, particularly children under the age of five, this infection can become hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is a type of kidney failure.
If you purchased this product, do not eat it, even if you plan to cook it thoroughly because of the risk of cross-contamination. You can throw the beef away in a secure trash can after first double bagging it, or you can take it back to the store where you bought it for a full refund.
