The Recall Desk
Agency classClass IOur severity:CriticalUSDA FSIS·108-2017·Announced 2017-10-13

Vermont Livestock Recalls Ground Beef Due To E. Coli O157:H7 Contamination

Vermont Livestock Slaughter and Processing is recalling 133 pounds of ground beef sold at Bread & Butter Farm due to possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination linked to two illnesses.

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 identifies the recall as 'Class I' and reports two confirmed illnesses caused by E. coli O157:H7, a high-risk pathogen. Per the rubric, FDA/USDA Class I classifications and confirmed illnesses from high-risk pathogens warrant a Critical (5) severity score.

Plain-English summary

Vermont Livestock Slaughter and Processing, LLC, a Ferrisburg, Vt., establishment, is recalling approximately 133 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The affected products are 1-lb. vacuum sealed packages of Bread & Butter Farm Ground Beef with lot codes #072517BNB and #072417BNB, produced on July 24 and 25, 2017. These items bear establishment number EST. 9558 and were sold at Bread & Butter Farm in Shelburne, Vt.

The recall follows an investigation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the Vermont Department of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agencies determined that cooked beef burgers served at an event at Bread & Butter Farm were the probable source of reported E. coli O157:H7 illnesses. Two case-patients in Vermont were identified with illness onset dates ranging from September 18, 2017, to September 23, 2017. Traceback information indicated that both patients consumed ground beef supplied by Vermont Livestock Slaughter and Processing.

E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. While most people recover within a week, some develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure. 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.

The recalled product

Product
Vermont Livestock Slaughter And Processing LLC, Recalls Ground Beef Due To Possible E. Coli O157:H7 Contamination
Category
Food — Ground Beef
Hazard

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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