Another 63 people have been reported ill from eating salmonella-contaminated ground beef, federal health officials said Tuesday, bringing the total number of sick people to 120 in 22 states.
The beef, distributed by JBS Tolleson, Inc., of Tolleson, Arizona, was sold by several large chains including Walmart and Sam’s Club, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said. The company recalled 6.5 million pounds of beef products earlier this month after the contamination was discovered.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 33 people have been hospitalized with severe infections, but no one has died.
“Consumers who have ground beef in their homes labeled with the establishment number “EST. 267” should check the USDA-FSIS website for a list of stores and states where recalled ground beef was sold,” the CDC advised.
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“The meat was sold under many different brand names at many different stores, and the establishment mark is the best way to identify recalled beef.”
The products were sold under several labels, including Cedar River Farms, Gourmet Burger, Grass Run Farms Natural Beef, JBS Generic, Showcase and Showcase/Walmart. The USDA says affected products were sold at many different stories, including Walmart Stores in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Texas; Winn Dixie stores on Florida and Georgia and Sam’s Club stores in 26 states.
“Do not eat recalled ground beef. Return it to the store or throw it away,” the CDC said.
“Contact a healthcare provider if you think you got sick from eating recalled ground beef,” it added.
“Most people infected with salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps 12-72 hours after eating contaminated food. The illness usually lasts four to seven, and most people recover without treatment.”