The meat is being recalled by Marcho Farms Inc and was produced on 11 April and 14 April 2017. The items were distributed to retail stores and foodservice locations in Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia.
Products recalled:
- 60lb cases of ‘VEAL BONELESS TRIMMINGS HALAL’ with case code ‘5398’ and ‘MANUF. DATE’ of ‘04/11/2017’.
- 60lb cases of ‘VEAL TRIMMINGS USDA CHOICE’ with case code ‘98’ and ‘MANUF. DATE’ of ‘04/11/17’.
- 9lb cases of ‘VEAL, BEEF, PORK GROUND FOR MEATLOAF’ with case code ‘3122’ and ‘sell by’ date ‘05/05/17’.
- 10lb cases of ‘VEAL, BEEF, PORK GROUND FOR MEATLOAF BULK PACK’ with case code ‘3125’.
The problem was discovered when the Illinois State Meat Inspection Service notified FSIS on 2 May 2017, about positive non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC) samples made with source material produced by Marcho Farms Inc. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products, but FSIS and Marcho Foods are concerned that some products may be frozen and in consumers’ freezers.
According to the FSIS, Non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC) outbreaks are rare, but are usually due to contaminated food and person-to-person transmission.
Similar to E.coli O157:H7, non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC) is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhoea and abdominal cramps two to eight days (three to four days, on average) after exposure to the organism. While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This condition can occur among persons of any age, but is most common in children under five years old and older adults. It is marked by easy bruising, pallor, and decreased urine output.