Cargill is recalling more than 100,000 additional pounds of ground beef due to a possible E.coli contamination after an initial recall in August, according to the USDA.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said that Cargill Meat Solutions in Fort Morgan, Colorado, was recalling approximately 132,606 pounds of ground beef products.
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According to the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, the products were made “from the chuck portion of the carcass” and were produced and packaged on June 21, 2018.
“The products subject to recall bear establishment number ‘EST. 86R’ inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations nationwide,” the USDA said in its release.
The U.S. agency said that it was notified of an investigation into E.coli illnesses on Aug. 16 and officials determined that raw ground beef was the probable source of the illnesses.
“The epidemiological investigation identified 17 illnesses and one death with illness onset dates ranging from July 5 to July 25, 2018,” the USDA said.
The Aug. 23 recall centered on Publix Super Markets of Lakeland, Florida, according to the USDA.
That recall involved 10-pound chubs of Excel 93/7 fine grind ground beef with a “Use/Frz. By Sep 05” on the chub label and a pack date 08/16/2018 on the box label.
They also bore establishment number “EST. 86R” inside the USDA mark of inspection but these items had been shipped to warehouses in California and Colorado.
In the August recall, no illnesses were reported, according to Cargill and the USDA, and the company found the problem after conducting its own reviews.
In Wednesday’s recall, the USDA said it was concerned that some product may be frozen and in consumers’ freezers. It urged consumers who had purchased the products not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase, the USDA said.
In a statement to ABC News Thursday, Cargill said it was “distressed to learn a fatality may be related to an E.coli contamination of one of our products.”
“Our hearts go out to the families and individuals affected by this issue,” the company said. “We want to make sure that consumers understand how to identify and safely dispose of any questionable ground chuck. All affected product was pulled from supermarket shelves, but consumers may still have it in their freezers, so it is important that they take action to prevent possible illness.”
It continued, “We are working in lock step with the USDA to notify consumers. … If there is any doubt, consumers should throw it out. At Cargill, food safety is something we work hard at every day. Internal and external food safety teams are assessing the processes at Fort Morgan and our other facilities to ensure we continue to deliver safe food to our customers and consumers.”
