Over 12 Million Pounds of Ground Beef Recalled Due to Possible E. coli Contamination

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ground beef recall for e coli - packages of ground beef

Check your freezers!

UPDATE (12/4): And even more beef recalled! Arizona-based meat producer JBS Tolleson, Inc. is recalling more than 5.1 million pounds of raw beef products that may be tainted with salmonella, according to the U.S.D.A’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Over 12 million pounds have been recalled in total. 😬

UPDATE (10/4): Even more beef recalled! 😱 Arizona-based meat producer JBS Tolleson, Inc. is also recalling 6,500,966 pounds of “various raw, non-intact beef products” due to an outbreak of salmonella, according to the U.S.D.A’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).


According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), Cargill Meat Solutions has issued a recall on approximately 132,606 pounds of ground beef products made from the chuck portion of the carcass as it may be contaminated with Escherichia coli O26.

The ground beef products in question were shipped to Sam’s Club, Safeway/Albertson’s, and Target locations nationwide and were produced and packaged on June 21st, 2018.

ground beef recall for e coli - big package of ground beef being held by two kids

The following products are subject to recall:

  • 3-lb. chubs of “Our Certified 73/27 Fine Grind Ground Beef” with a Use OR Freeze by date of JUL/11/18 and case code 00228749057646.
  • 3-lb. chubs of “Our Certified 73/27 Fine Grind Ground Beef” with a Use OR Freeze by date of JUL/11/18 and case code 00228749002653.
  • 10-lb. chubs of “Excel 73/27 Fine Grind Ground Beef” with a Use OR Freeze by date of Jul 11 and case code 00228749089098.
  • 10-lb. chubs of “Excel 73/27 Fine Grind Ground Beef” with a Use OR Freeze by date of Jul 11 and case code 90028749002751.
  • 10-lb. chubs of “Excel 81/19 Fine Grind Ground Beef” with a Use OR Freeze by date of Jul 11 and case code 90028749003536.
  • 10-lb. chubs of “Excel Ground Beef 81/19 Fine Grind” with a Use OR Freeze by date of Jul 11 and case code 00228749003568.
  • 10-lb. chubs of “Excel Chuck Ground Beef 81/19 Fine Grind” with a Use OR Freeze by date of Jul 11 and case code 90028749402773.
  • 20-lb. chubs of “Excel 81/19 Fine Grind Ground Beef Combo” with a Use OR Freeze by date of Jul 11 and case code 90028749073935.
  • 10-lb. chubs of “Sterling Silver Chuck Ground Beef 81/19 Fine Grind” with a Use OR Freeze by date of Jul 11 and case code 00228749702416.
  • 10-lb. chubs of “Certified Angus Beef Chuck Ground Beef 81/19 Fine Grind” with a Use OR Freeze by date of Jul 11 and case code 90028749802405.
  • 10-lb. chubs of “Certified Angus Beef Chuck Ground Beef 81/19 Fine Grind” with a Use OR Freeze by date of Jul 11 with case code 00228749802413.
  • 10-lb. chubs of “Fire River Farms Classic Ground Beef 81/19 Fine Grind” with a Use OR Freeze by date of 07/11/2018 with case code 90734730297241.

The USDA is concerned that people may have the recalled meat products in their freezer. If you do have ground beef you’ve bought recently, be sure to check your packages. The products subject to recall will bear establishment number ‘EST. 86R’ inside the USDA mark of inspection.

Also, if you have purchased these products, the USDA urges people not to consume them, but rather throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.


Join The Discussion

Comments 19

  1. Anna

    Oh man who knows- I like to precook and freeze G. Beef for quick meals but didn’t save that infoβ€”- need to start doing that I guess 😬

    • amber

      That’s exactly what I do! I guess I should at least snap a photo of the labels from now on. In the past when we have purchased certain things under recall, SamsClub called with an automated message. I wonder if they are able to do it with this as well?

    • Emily

      If you cook it to 160 degrees, the bacteria should be killed. πŸ™‚ Hope that helps!

      • 50ShadesofLipstick

        To add to this- the meat has to not only be cooked until well done, but you also have to be sure to disinfect all surfaces that the meat comes into contact with (kitchen counters, cutting board, knife, sink, etc). Often with food borne illness, cross-contamination is what makes people sick and not just the meat being undercooked.

  2. lindsay

    same!! I just divide it up and throw it into the freezer

    • Dana Edwards

      me too. Seriously, who freezes a 10 pound chub!

  3. Ice Mom

    We do the same except we use it half and half with venison through our industrial meat grinder. Is there a way to cook the bacteria out of the meat?

  4. pokz

    seriously…. how would you know that you bought one of these?

    when i buy a big pack…when i get home i make smaller portions and put it in a ziploc then freeze it… then throw away the orig package…

    • Lynn

      Agreed. I always repackage. How to know what company it was manufactured by?

    • riss

      I do the same. Maybe from now on, start taking picture of the label before dividing it. That is, if I remember πŸ˜―πŸ˜‰

  5. Julia

    Ugh. Same thing here…

  6. Joanna

    So no organic ground beef have been recalled?

  7. Ashley

    I have a bunch divided and frozen and I always buy from Aldi. I read I on another article that some of it was from Aldi 😭

  8. Lana

    I get the recall emails from the FDA and this recall was issued about two weeks ago so if you have been eating what you have in the freezer and not gotten sick then it seems like what you have would be fine.

  9. sarah

    so by the word “chub” they mean packaged as a really big hot dog style? I buy ground beef from Sams but not in that style. it’s ground beef. they grind in store and then put in assorted weight packages. I assume those types of packages aren’t included in recall?

    • Lana

      Correct. I doubt many people buy that 10 pound chub. It is a real mess to work with.

  10. gary

    If u use a ziplock bag i suggest writing the date on the bag. I think now i will also make sure u add where it was bought.

  11. Sharples

    132 cows lost their lives for nothing. So sad.

  12. Judy Trac

    What if I bought it and took it out the label? How do I return for reimbursement

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