Idaho company recalls nearly 3,000 pounds of ground beef for E. coli risk

"An Idaho-based company is recalling nearly 3,000 pounds of raw ground beef that may have been contaminated with E. coli bacteria. The recall involves 16-ounce vacuum-sealed packages labeled Forward Farms Grass-Fed Ground Beef. Affected packages were produced Dec. 16 and have a label telling customers to use or freeze the meat by Jan. 13. The affected beef also bears the establishment number EST 2083 on the side of its packaging."

"The meat was produced by Heyburn, Idaho-based Mountain West Food Group and was shipped to distributors in California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Pennsylvania and Washington. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, which announced the recall Saturday, didn't say which retailers may have sold the meat. The USDA and Mountain West Food Group didn't respond to messages left Tuesday by The Associated Press."

"The USDA said there have been no confirmed reports of illness due to consumption of the meat. The issue was discovered in a sample of beef during routine testing. The USDA said the type of E. coli found can cause illness within 28 days of exposure. Most infected people develop diarrhea, which is often bloody, and vomiting. Infection is usually diagnosed with a stool sample."

Nearly 3,000 pounds of raw ground beef labeled Forward Farms Grass-Fed Ground Beef were recalled after routine testing detected E. coli. The recall covers 16-ounce vacuum-sealed packages produced Dec. 16 with a use-or-freeze date of Jan. 13 and establishment number EST 2083. The product was produced by Mountain West Food Group in Heyburn, Idaho, and shipped to distributors in California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Pennsylvania and Washington. The USDA reported no confirmed illnesses and noted the bacterium can cause diarrhea, bloody stools and vomiting within 28 days. Customers should discard or return affected packages and cook ground beef to 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Read at www.bostonherald.com