WASHINGTON – Irish Hills Meat Company of Michigan, a Tipton, Mich., establishment is recalling approximately 900 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced.
The following ground beef products are subject to recall: [View Label]
- 10-lb. clear polybags with the establishment number "EST. 10014" inside the USDA mark of inspection. The polybags are packaged in boxes that contain 3-5 bags. The production dates of May 23 and May 26 are stamped on the boxes.
The ground beef was shipped to restaurants in Southern Michigan.
The problem was discovered through routine FSIS monitoring which confirmed a positive result for E. coli O157:H7. FSIS and the company have received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider.
FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks (including at restaurants) to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and to ensure that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers.
E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. The very young, seniors and persons with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness.
FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160° F. The only way to confirm that ground beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature.
Consumers and media with questions regarding the recall should contact the company's President, Tom Huber, at (517) 456-4400.
Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.
Source: USDA FSIS