Shaw's Ground Beef Recalled Due to E. coli Risk
The USDA-FSIS has announced the recall of about 884 pounds of ground beef distributed to Shaw’s grocery stores in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. The recalled ground beef may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, a dangerous strain of E. coli responsible for most cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), an often-fatal illness that is the leading cause of kidney failure in children in the United States. The elderly and people with compromised immune systems are also susceptible to developing HUS.
The recalled Shaw’s ground beef includes the following:
1.33-pound trays of “SHAW’S FRESH GROUND ROUND BEEF PATTIES, 85/15.” Each package bears the establishment number “Est. 492” inside the USDA mark of inspection. Each “Nutrition Facts” label bears a time stamp between “17:05” and “17:25” as well as a date code of “243.”
The Shaw’s ground beef products were produced on Aug. 31, 2007. The possible E. coli contamination was discovered through the establishment’s routine microbiological testing program.
If you have eaten any of the recalled ground beef, you will need to watch for symptoms of E. coli, including watery or bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping, and sometimes nausea and vomiting. E. coli poisoning can quickly develop into HUS and/or lead to severe dehydration, so please contact your doctor immediately if you suspect E. coli poisoning.
Well, isn't this interesting. Makes you wonder if anything is safe to eat these days. With everything going on lately, maybe we'd all be better off bringing back the family farms and growing our own food.