Mega meat distributor recalls 6.5 million pounds of ground beef

WASHINGTON (WKBN) – A large meat distributor in Arizona is recalling 6.5 million pounds of various ground beef products because of a potential Salmonella contamination. 

The recalled beef is being described as “not intact,” which means ground beef or other meat mixtures or products. 

The meat has packaging dates from July 26, 2018, to Sept. 7, 2018. The meat was shipped to retailers nationwide. 

Specific product labels and product lists can be viewed online. 

Consumers started reporting illness on August 5. On Sept. 19, Investigators discovered a link to the tainted meat. Now, more that 57 cases of illness have been reported in 16 states.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is concerned that some product may be frozen and in consumers’ freezers. 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.

The FSIS has classified this recall as a Class 1, which means high risk. This is a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.