Walmart recalls more than 8 tons of ground beef over E. coli fears

Food manufacturing giant Cargill has recalled more than eight tons of ground beef sold at Walmart stores over potential E. coli contamination.

The manufacturer on Wednesday recalled “approximately 16,243 pounds of raw ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7,” according to a media release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

The measure was taken “out of an abundance of caution and in coordination with the USDA,” Cargill said in a statement. “No illnesses have been reported.”

The beef recall was necessary after inspectors at the Hazleton, Pa., plant found that “previously segregated product had been inadvertently utilized in the production of ground beef,” the FSIS said.

All the recalled products are marked as USDA-inspected on the front of the label, with the establishment number “EST. 86P” print on the back.

The items were shipped to Walmart stores in Connecticut, Washington D.C., Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New York, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Vermont, the company said.

The E. coli strain is potentially deadly, with symptoms including dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps occurring anywhere from two to eight days (with a three- to four-day average) after exposure, the FSIS said. Most people recover within a week, but for those who don’t, the infection can lead to a form of kidney failure, especially in older adults and kids under age 5.

“FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers,” the agency said. “Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.”