A New Jersey firm is recalling 128 pounds of ground beef products because of potential E. coli O157:H7 contamination.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the recall is being issued by Pasha Halal Poultry (DBA Marcacci Meats) of Vineland, New Jersey. It includes the following products:
- Various sizes of plastic-wrapped packages of “MARCACCI MEATS, GROUND BEEF.”
- 10-pound boxes of “MARCACCI MEATS, GROUND BEEF.”
These products were produced on Aug. 12, 2009, and were distributed to a consumer at the wholesale level in the Atlantic City, N.J., area, and packaged for sale to consumers at the retail level in Vineland, N.J. They were packed in foam containers and bear a package code of “8.12.09″ as well as the establishment number “EST. 5913″ inside the USDA mark of inspection.
According to FSIS, no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products have been reported. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact a physician.
E. coli O157:H7 causes abdominal cramping, vomiting and a diarrheal illness, often with bloody stools. While most healthy adults can recover completely within a week, young children and the elderly are at highest risk for developing Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), a serious complication which can lead to serious kidney damage and even death. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), E. coli 0157:H7 is responsible for sickening 73,000 people every year, and of those, 60 will die from the disease.
