WASHINGTON — A New Jersey meat processing company is recalling nearly 43,000 pounds of ground beef, including packages sold at Walmart stores around the country, due to possible E. coli contamination.
The United States Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced Saturday that Lakeside Refrigerated Services, a Swedesboro, New Jersey company, is recalling ground beef packages that were produced on June 1.
The affected products were sold under the Thomas Foods International and Marketside Butcher labels and feature the establishment number EST. 46841.
The recall notice said items were shipped to retail locations nationwide. Marketside Butcher products are sold at Walmart, according to package labels of the recalled products.
The FSIS categorized the situation as a Class I recall, which it defines as "a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death."
The recall notice said the ground beef could be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, which can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps for 2–8 days, with an average of 3-4 days. Most people recover within a week, but some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome, which the FSIS said is most common in children under the age of five and in older adults.
The condition's symptoms include easy bruising, pallor and decreased urine output.
The contamination was found during routine FSIS inspection, and the recall notice said there have been "no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products."
The affected products include:
- One-pound vacuum packages containing “MARKETSIDE BUTCHER ORGANIC GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF” and a use or freeze by date of 07/01/20 and lot code P-53298-82.
- One-pound vacuum packages containing four quarter-pound pieces of “MARKETSIDE BUTCHER ORGANIC GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF PATTIES” and a use or freeze by date of June 27, 2020 and lot code P-53934-28.
- Three-pound vacuum packages containing three one-pound pieces of “MARKETSIDE BUTCHER ORGANIC GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF 93% LEAN / 7% FAT” and a use or freeze by date of 07/01/20 and lot code P53929-70.
- One-pound tray packages containing four quarter-pound pieces of “THOMAS FARMS GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF PATTIES 85% LEAN / 15% FAT” and a use or freeze by date of 06/25/20 and lot code P53944-10.
- Four-pound tray packages containing 10 quarter-pound. pieces of “THOMAS FARMS GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF PATTIES 80% LEAN / 20% FAT” and a use or freeze by date of 06/25/20 and lot code P53937-45.
- One-pound vacuum packages containing four quarter-pound pieces of “THOMAS FARMS GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF PATTIES 85% LEAN / 15% FAT” and a use or freeze by date of 06/27/20 and lot code P53935-25.
- One-pound vacuum packages containing “VALUE PACK FRESH GROUND BEEF 76% LEAN / 24% FAT” and a use or freeze by date of 07/01/20 and lot code P53930-18.
Customers should check their refrigerators or freezers and either throw away or return the packages, the recall notice said. People with questions should call the Lakeside Processing Center Call Center at 856-832-3881.
