BJ’s Wholesale Club: Ground Beef Recalled for Possible E coli 026 Contamination
Cargill Meat Solutions Corp., Wyalusing, PA, has recalled approximately 8,500 pounds of ground beef. To date, all of the hamburger in this recall was distributed to BJ’s Wholesale Club stores (see the BJ’s Wholesale Club ground beef recall list). A multi-state outbreak of illnesses caused by E coli 026 has been associated with Cargill ground beef. The USDA reported that Maine and New York have confirmed cases of E. coli O26. Most E. coli outbreaks linked to hamburger tend to sicken people in many states due to the way ground beef is distributed and repackaged.
E. coli 026 is a serious illness, even fatal in the very young, seniors and those with weakened immune systems. Ground beef contaminated with E. coli O26 can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is the leading cause of kidney failure in children in the United States. HUS can also cause stroke, coma, blindness, heart problems, pancreatitis and death.
The USDA recommends checking your freezer for ground beef associated with this recall. If you have destroyed the packaging, and you shop at BJ’s Wholesale Club, you should throw the ground beef away. Be sure to follow proper food safety regulations dealing with food preparation and clean-up. Cross contamination is a real danger. As always, be sure to cook any beef to a core temperature of 160 degrees.
According to the UDSA-FSIS, the ground beef was repackaged and re-branded. The re-branding is significant legally because E. coli victims may be able to sue both Cargill and BJ’s Wholesale Club.
PritzkerOlsen, P.A. is a national E. coli litigation law firm. Our lawyers have appeared on CBS News, Fox News and other news stations discussing E. coli litigation and food safety. Our law firm has taken on food giant Cargill in the past and won. Our lawyers are available for a free Cargill lawsuit consultation.
Tags: Beef Recall, E coli 026, E coli Lawsuit
