An Idaho-based company is recalling nearly 3,000 pounds of raw ground beef that may be contaminated with E. coli bacteria.
The recall includes sealed 16-ounce packages labeled “Forward Farms Grass-Fed Ground Beef.” The affected packages were produced on December 16 and had a label telling customers to use or freeze the meat by January 13. The affected beef also bears the establishment number “EST 2083” on the side of its package.
The meat was produced by Mountain West Food Group, based in Hepburn, Idaho, and shipped to distributors in California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Pennsylvania and Washington.
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, which announced the recall on Saturday, did not specify which retailers may have sold the meat. The USDA and the Mountain West Food Group did not respond to messages left by The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The USDA said there are no confirmed reports of illnesses due to meat consumption. The problem was discovered in a sample of beef during routine testing.
The type of E. coli present can cause illness within 28 days of exposure, the USDA said. Most infected people have diarrhea, which is often bloody, and vomiting. The infection is usually diagnosed by a stool sample.
The USDA said customers who purchased the affected products should either throw them away or return them to where they were purchased. The agency also advises all customers to only consume ground beef if it has been cooked to a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.