The United States Department of Agriculture has announced a recall of about 113,424 pounds of ground beef made by Colorado Premium Foods of Carrolton, Georgia because it may be contaminated with Escherichia coli bacteria. It comes on the heels of an outbreak of E. coli infections.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that there have been 156 cases of E. coli infection in ten states, which were caused by the O103 strain.
A “definitive link” has not yet been established, but 92 percent of ill people reported eating ground beef prior to getting sick, which is more than results from a sampling of healthy people. The CDC, which said that ground beef is the likely cause, is not recommending that people stop eating it; they are stressing safe food preparation.
The O103 strain E. coli can cause vomiting and bloody diarrhea. While most infected individuals recover within a week, some cases can be more severe and can require hospitalization.