State and federal health officials are investigating the scope of E. coli O157:H7 contamination from ground beef products distributed by Adams Farm Slaughterhouse of Athol, Mass.
According to a recall announcement issued Monday night by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, 2,574 pounds of ground beef products that were was distributed to private owners on three Massachusetts farms is being recalled.
This is a Class I High Health Risk recall and the Massachusetts farms that received the product were identified as Mazzarese, Side Hill Farm and Sweet Water Farm. The suspected ground beef E. coli packages are marked with the packaging date of 11/11/2009 and bear the USDA establishment number EST 5497 on the USDA seal of inspection.
According to this recall, it was initiated after the Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed a positive ground beef sample for E. coli O157:H7, which it collected during an epidemiological investigation. Working in conjunction with Massachusetts E. coli experts, FSIS determined that there is an association between the ground beef products and an illness in the state of Massachusetts. The investigation is continuing and anyone with signs or symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 infection should consult a physician.
This organism causes extremely painful and often bloody diarrhea. In more than 5 percent of cases, patients develop life-threatening hemolytic remic syndrome (HUS) or thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) and can suffer kidney failure, stroke, damage to their kidneys, heart, brain and central nervous system. Some 60 people die each year from E. coli infections and many more are hospitalized and suffer life-long health conditions.
