The Recall Desk
Agency classClass IOur severity:CriticalUSDA FSIS·081-2018·Announced 2018-09-19

Cargill Recalls Ground Beef Due to E. coli O26 Contamination

Cargill Meat Solutions is recalling approximately 132,606 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O26. The recall follows an investigation linking the bacteria to 17 illnesses and one death.

The agency’s classification

USDA FSIS: Class I

Class I is a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.

This is the agency’s own classification, taken from its notice. The severity score below is our assessment, not the agency’s. How recall classes work

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 5/5 (Critical).

Highest-severity recall. The hazard can cause serious injury or death. Stop using the product now and follow the agency's instructions.

Our severity reasoning: The source text explicitly states that the investigation identified one death, which mandates a Critical severity score of 5 according to the rubric.

Plain-English summary

Cargill Meat Solutions, a Fort Morgan, Colorado establishment, is recalling approximately 132,606 pounds of ground beef products made from the chuck portion of the carcass. The products were produced and packaged on June 21, 2018, and bear establishment number EST. 86R inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations nationwide.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced the recall after being notified of an investigation into E. coli O26 illnesses. FSIS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and state partners determined that raw ground beef was the probable source of the reported illnesses. The epidemiological investigation identified 17 illnesses and one death, with onset dates ranging from July 5 to July 25, 2018. The Cargill products were identified through traceback information related to a previous recall (072-2018) connected to the same outbreak.

E. coli O26 is a serovar of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Infection can cause diarrhea, often bloody, and vomiting. In rare cases, it can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, which is most common in children under 5, older adults, and persons with weakened immune systems. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them and should throw them away or return them to the place of purchase. FSIS advises cooking ground beef to an internal temperature of 160°F to kill harmful bacteria.

The recalled product

Product
Cargill Meat Solutions Recalls Ground Beef Products due to Possible E. coli O26 Contamination
Brand
Cargill Meat Solutions
Manufacturer
Cargill Meat Solutions
Category
Food — Ground Beef
Hazard

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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