Swift Beef recalls beef products over possible E Coli contamination

US-based company Swift Beef is recalling nearly 99,260lbs of raw ground beef products over possible contamination with E coli O157: H7 bacteria, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

E coli O157: H7 has the potential to cause dehydration, bloody diarrhoea and abdominal cramps lasting two to eight days (three to four days on average).

The products that are subject to the recall include 2,000lb bulk pallets of Swift Ground Beef 81/19, eight to ten lb plastic wrapped chubs of blue ribbon Ground Beef 81/19 (81% lean) and eight to ten lb plastic wrapped chubs of blue ribbon Ground Beef 93/07 (93% lean).

Produced on 24 October, the products bear establishment number EST 628 inside the USDA mark of inspection.

These items were shipped to retail distributors for further processing and food service distributors for institutional use in California, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington.

The problem was identified on 15 November, when FSIS officials visited Swift Beef in response to an FSIS ground beef sample that was collected at a further processing establishment and was confirmed positive for E coli O157: H7.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products.

The recall has been categorised as Class I, which indicates that use of the product could cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.