Ground Beef Recalled Due to Risk of E. Coli
The meat was shipped nationwide and sold under several brand names
More than 120,000 pounds of ground beef—including some premade beef patties—were recalled by Lakeside Refrigerated Services yesterday after samples of the beef tested positive for a particularly rare but dangerous strain of E. coli. No illnesses have been reported.
The recalled beef (PDF) was produced between Feb. 1, 2022, and April 8, 2022, and sold in stores across the country. Most of it was packaged under the brand names Marketside, Nature’s Reserve, Seg, Tajima, Thomas Farms, and Weis. But some of it was shipped to stores in bulk and repackaged without a brand name.
Risks of E. Coli
The type of E. coli bacteria found in the recalled ground beef is a strain called O103, and although rare compared to other types of E. coli, it is worrisome because it produces a toxin that can damage the intestinal lining, leading to bloody diarrhea. Like other toxin-producing E. coli, the O103 strain can cause life-threatening kidney damage (hemolytic uremic syndrome), but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says this is uncommon.
For most people, symptoms are less serious and can include vomiting, stomach cramps, fatigue, nausea, a low fever, and diarrhea without bleeding, and appear two to five days after ingesting contaminated food, according to the CDC.
Most people will get better without any treatment other than rest and hydration, according to the CDC. But the agency urges people to avoid antidiarrheal medication, which can slow your digestive system and prevent your body from getting rid of the toxin. And the CDC doesn’t recommend antibiotics to treat E. coli infections, which can increase the risk of serious complications and actually won’t help treat the infection.
If symptoms don’t improve after a week or so, or if they worsen, contact a healthcare provider.
