Latest U.S. food scare E. coli and 188,000 pounds of ground beef

In the latest food scare in the United States fears of contamination with the Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria has prompted the recall of more than 188,000 pounds of ground beef products.

The Rochester Meat Company which is based in Minnesota has voluntarily recalled the meat following reports of six people becoming sick, five in Wisconsin and one in California, after eating their products.

According to the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the products subject to the recall were not available in retail outlets and were only distributed to restaurants and other food service institutions.

The 188,000 pounds of ground beef patties was apparently produced on October 30th and November 6th and distributed to food establishments nationwide.

The patties are suspected to be tainted with E. coli O157:H7, a bacterium that causes diarrhea that is often bloody; the diarrhea can be accompanied by abdominal cramps. Fever may be absent or mild. Symptoms usually occur within 2-3 days following exposure, but may occur as soon as 1 day following exposure or up to one week following exposure.

Healthy adults can typically recover completely from E. coli O157:H7 exposure within a week. However, some people, especially young children and the elderly, can develop Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) as a result of exposure to E. coli O157:H7, a condition that can lead to serious kidney damage and even death.

An investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services and the California Department of Public Health traced the illnesses to the Rochester meat company.

Anyone concerned about an illness is advised to contact their doctor and consumers with questions can contact the company at 507-529-4759 or the FSIS at fsis.usda.gov