How to tell if your beef is contaminated

Millions of pounds of beef were recalled Thursday because beef could be contaminated with Salmonella, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

The beef was sourced from Tolleson, Arizona-based JBS Tolleson, Inc., and the recalled beef was packed between July 26 and September 7. The beef was raw and not intact and all products had the EST establishment number. 267 "in the USDA inspection mark.

All potentially affected products have been shipped to retailers or institutions such as restaurants in the United States. The USDA Food Inspection and Food Safety Service was alerted to a salmonella survey in early September. It was not until September 19 that a receipt linked a patient's illness to beef products. According to the press release, eight purchases of beef products by customers have been verified, either with the help of customer receipts or with the help of purchase cards.

The disease was attributed to JBS brand ground beef in particular, and an epidemiological survey reportedly identified 57 patient cases from 16 states, beginning from August 5th to September 6th.

Consumers should keep in mind that they may have these products in their freezers and should check the establishment number and the packaging dates as well as the list of products available here. Anyone who contains possibly contaminated beef should return it to the place of purchase or discard it completely.

The recall is a Class I recall, which means that there is "a reasonable likelihood that the use of the product will result in serious consequences, harmful to health or death."

People who contract salmonella may experience a number of unpleasant symptoms related to salmonellosis. According to the Center for Disease Control, symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps after their infection.

Although Salmonella is a common infection, it can be dangerous for some people. Most people will stay ill for about four to seven days and then recover without medical treatment, but some groups are more susceptible to infection.

Younger and older people may have difficulty recovering from infection. In addition, in severe cases of diarrhea, some people may become dehydrated and need medical treatment, according to the CDC. In cases where infections spread to the intestines or to the bloodstream, people need antibiotics to recover.

A flawless stay A pile of ground beef patties travels on a treadmill at a meat packing and distribution facility on June 24, 2008. More than six million pounds of beef have been recalled to the United States due to a possible salmonella contamination. Justin Sullivan / Getty Images