A nationwide health alert has been sounded regarding Greater Omaha ground beef products, suspected of harboring E. coli O157:H7, a strain of Escherichia coli notorious for inducing severe intestinal infections in humans.
The implicated raw ground beef items, produced and packaged on March 28, 2024, with a "Use/Freeze by" date of April 22, 2024, and bearing the code "EST.960A" inside the USDA mark of inspection, have prompted the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to issue the alert, The Hill reported.
Shipped to various restaurants and retail outlets across the nation, the affected ground beef products include various chub and patty configurations, as detailed by the FSIS. While these products are no longer available for purchase, consumers are urged to check their freezers for any remaining items and refrain from consuming them.
Though there have been no reported illnesses linked to the contaminated ground beef, caution is advised. Individuals who may have consumed the affected products and are experiencing symptoms such as dehydration, bloody diarrhea, or abdominal cramps should seek medical attention promptly, particularly vulnerable groups such as young children and older adults.
In light of this health alert, Greater Omaha Packing Co., Inc. Representative Gina Adami can be contacted for further inquiries. Additionally, consumers with food safety concerns are encouraged to reach out to the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline or utilize the Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System for reporting issues with meat, poultry, or egg products.
