Two ground beef producers, K2D Foods and Grant Park Packing have issued recalls for ground beef that may be contaminated with E. coli O103. That is the same strain behind the 10-state outbreak linked to ground beef. Are they linked?
As part of its investigation of the outbreak, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA FSIS) has been collecting and testing samples of ground beef from grocery stores and restaurants where people sickened in this outbreak purchased ground beef items before they became ill. This is called a “traceback” investigation, as they are tracing the illness back to the source of contamination. This is a key feature of investigations of ground beef recalls where illnesses are involved.
Two of these samples -one in Kentucky and one in Tennessee, tested positive for E. coli O103. Both were taken from unopened packages or ground beef collected from a restaurant where multiple case-patients ate before the became ill. But USDA FSIS has included language on each of these recalls saying there is still no definitive link to the outbreak and it plans to do further product analysis and traceback analysis.
What does this mean?
To continue its traceback investigation, USDA FSIS will want to visit the facility where the ground beef was produced and collect environmental samples for testing. It will also want to put the E. coli sample it collected from the ground beef through genetic testing to determine its “fingerprint” and see if it matches the fingerprint of the outbreak strain of E. coli O103.
What ground beef products were recalled?
K2D Ground Beef Recall for E. coli O103
On April 23. 2019, K2D Foods doing business as (DBA) Colorado Premium Foods of Carrolton, Ga issued a recall includes 24-pound vacuum-packed bags packed two to a box marked “GROUND BEEF PUCK.” The recalled products will be marked with the “EST. 51308” inside the USDA mark of inspection and have “Use Thru” dates of 4/14/19, 4/17/19, 4/20/19, 4/23/19, 4/28/19, and 4/30/19.
The recalled products were shipped to food distributors in Ft. Orange, Fla. and Norcross, Ga. for further distribution to restaurants. Restaurants that have received these products should not use them.
Grant Park Packing Recall for E. coli O103
On April 24, Grant Park Packing of Franklin Park, Ill. issued a recall for 53,200 pounds of raw ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O103. The recalled product was packaged in 40-lb. bulk cardboard boxes that bear the establishment number “EST. 21781” inside the USDA mark of inspection.
They were shipped to Minnesota for further distribution and to Kentucky for institutional use.
The recalled boxes are marked “North Star Imports & Sales, LLC. 100% GROUND BEEF BULK 80% LEAN/ 20% FAT” and “FOR INSTITUTIONAL USE ONLY” with lot code GP.1051.18 and pack dates 10/30/2018, 10/31/2018, and 11/01/2018.
How many people are part of the outbreak?
A ground beef E. coli outbreak that began in March 2019 has expanded to 10 states. At least 156 people are sick and 20 have been hospitalized. Half of those sickened are under the age of 19.
If you have an E. coli illness linked to this outbreak, contact our E. coli lawyers for a free consultation. Call 1 (888) 377-8900, send a text to 612-261-0856. Or, complete the form below. It is not required that brand, store or restaurant names associated with an outbreak be publicly released to file a lawsuit. If evidence links your illness to contaminated food, you can file a claim. Put our team of experienced lawyers to work for you.