6.5 million pounds of beef recalled due to salmonella outbreak

TOLLESON, Arizona — JBS Tolleson, an Arizona based meat production company is recalling about 6,500,966 pounds of “various raw, non-intact beef products” after a reported outbreak of salmonella in the United States.

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service issued the recall after officials established JBS as the common supplier of raw ground beef products probable of containing the reported illness.

Multiple particular beef products were packaged between July 26, 2018, and Sept. 7, 2018, and are suspected of causing fifty-seven cases of salmonella in 16 states between Aug. 5 and Sept. 6.

According to the USDA’s FSIS, “the first store receipt potentially linking the purchase of the FSIS-regulated product to a case-patient was received on Sept. 19, 2018.”

FSIS says they will continue to work with public health partners to provide new information when available.

They are most concerned that some of the product may be frozen in consumers’ freezers and consumers are urged not to eat this product and instead are told to throw it away or return it to the place of purchase.

According to the USDA:

“Consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses. The most common symptoms of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating the contaminated product.”

“The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days and most people can recover without treatment. In some persons, however, diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. Older adults, infants, and persons with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop a severe illness. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact their health care provider.”

You can read the full recall statement here.