According to an announcement from the US Department of Agriculture, Texas meat packer Caviness Beef Packers, which is based in Hereford, has issued a voluntary recall of more than 23,000 pounds of beef trimmings products because of the fear that the beef may be contaminated with E. coli.
The beef that is being recalled includes “combo bins” that are marked as follows:
- Combo bins containing “Beef Trimmings, BNLS, 90 L”
- Combo bins containing “Beef Trimmings, BNLS, 84 L”
Each package will be marked with the establishment number “EST. 675,” which is located inside the USDA mark of inspection. The product was produced between August 14 and August 20, 2014, and was then shipped to retail distribution warehouses and fast food restaurants throughout Texas, where it was later processed into ground beef products.
According to the USDA, the problem with the beef was discovered during a routine food safety assessment. Officials say the products being recalled include several lots that tested negative for E. coli, but which were produced at roughly the same time as lots that tested positive. The agency notes that, to date, there have been no reported illnesses related to this beef.
This particular strain of E.coli O157:H7 has the potential to cause serious illness and death. Among the most common symptoms of E.coli food poisoning includes fever, body aches, abdominal cramps and diarrhea, which can be very bloody. Initial symptoms usually develop between 48 hours and eight days after exposure to the bacteria. In some extreme cases, usually in children under the age of five, E. coli can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, which is a type of kidney failure. Among the symptoms of HUS include reduced urine input, a yellowish pallor, and easy bruising. If your child or any loved one develops symptoms like these, get them medical care immediately.
This is actually the first of two beef recalls from a producer in Texas. Earlier this week, Kane Beef Processors announced a recall of just over 2,600 pounds of ground beef that was being sold in 10 pound chubs, because of possible contamination with foreign materials. Specifically, a store clerk identified small pieces of blue plastic inside some of the packages, and alerted the company as to the problem. It is believed the source of the plastic is a rubber glove.
If you have purchased products related to either of these recalls, do not eat the beef. Instead, throw it away or return it to the store for a full refund. If you or a loved one has become sick from eating any contaminated food product, whether it was produced in Texas or elsewhere, see a doctor right away. Then contact the Texas Food Poisoning Injury Lawyer at Hill Law Firm as soon as possible, so that we can begin an investigation into the problem and help you protect your rights.
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