Beef Recalled By USDA For School Lunch Meat
Beef headed for Georgia school cafeterias is being recalled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture due to possible E. coli contamination.
According to a statement by the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service, the Class I recall involves 40,000 pounds of ground beef produced on September 9th by Palo Duro Meat in Amarillo, Texas. The meat was shipped to two Georgia warehouses where it would have been distributed to several distinct institutions, including six school districts in Georgia. The beef was shipped in 40-pound boxes.
USDA authorities say that most of the beef products have not left the warehouses, and that as far as they know, the contaminated meat hasn’t been served in any schools.
So far, the USDA has not received any reports of illnesses related to the beef. However, the infected products may have gotten mixed in with commercial products due to a sample tracking error, the USDA statement warns.
According to the statement, E. coli bacteria can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and sometimes kidney failure. People who are at heightened risk include babies and toddlers, seniors, and those with weak immune systems.