6.5 million pounds of beef recalled after salmonella cases

Usually, when the number 57 is associated with beef, it is ketchup with your hamburger or meatloaf, not salmonella. But 57 salmonella diseases resulted in a recall of 6,500,966 pounds of beef by JBS Tolleson, a branch of JBS USA in Arizona.

According to the list of products recalled by the USDA, the possibly contaminated beef has been sold to retailers and institutions in stores under the brands Showcase / Walmart, Showcase, Gourmet Burger, JBS Generic, Comnor Perfect Choice, Cedar River Farms, Beef Natural Natural Beef from Grass Run Farms.

But, some of the meat may have turned out to be a bit too natural.

The recall notice from the USDA indicates that its Food Safety Inspection Service was informed on September 5 of an investigation into Salmonella diseases of different products.

"The first store receipt potentially linking the purchase of an FSIS regulated product to a patient was received on September 19, 2018," writes the USDA. "FSIS was then able to start tracing the ground beef products. To date, eight patients have provided receipts or buyer card numbers, which allowed to investigate the products. "

Conclusion: raw ground beef was the source of disease.

"Traceback has identified JBS as a common supplier of ground beef products," said the USDA. "The epidemiological survey identified 57 case-patients from 16 states with dates of onset of illness ranging from August 5 to September 6, 2018."

Salmonella usually strikes within three days of eating contaminated food or handling it with bare hands and without proper hand washing. Usually, it goes away alone after four to seven days of diarrhea, stomach upset and fever. Hospitalization occurs in approximately 1.9% of cases, usually caused by particularly bloody diarrhea. A tiny number of patients, about 0.04%, die of salmonella. Elderly people and children under 5 are the most vulnerable to the most serious effects of salmonella.

Anyone whose recalled beef is in his fridge or freezer should discard it or return it to the place of purchase for a refund. Those with questions can call JBS at 800-727-2333.