2016 E. coli Outbreak Linked to Beef Products Produced by Adams Farm – Recall and Advice

Recall

On September 24, 2016, Adams Farm Slaughterhouse recalled various cuts of beef, veal, and bison products due to possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination. The products originated from animals slaughtered on July 15, 25, and 27, 2016 and August 3, 8, 10, 11, 17, 24 and 26, 2016, and further processed and packed on various dates between July 21, and September 22, 2016. These items were shipped to farmers’ markets, retail locations, and restaurants in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and eastern New York. The products may have been shipped to neighboring states. The list of retailers in each state that received recalled products can be found on the USDA website [PDF – 7 pages]. The products subject to recall have establishment number EST. 5497 inside the USDA mark of inspection and include several lot numbers and cuts of meat. The full list can be found on the USDA website.

Advice to Consumers

• Consumers should not eat recalled meat products.
  • Don’t cook them and eat them.
  • Throw the meat away or return it to the place of purchase. If you throw it away, put it in a sealed bag in the trash so that children, pets, or other animals can’t eat it.
  • Remember to check freezers for recalled meat products.
• Contact your healthcare provider if you think you may have become ill from eating recalled meat products.
  • Most people infected with STEC develop diarrhea (often bloody) and abdominal cramps an average of 3-4 days after swallowing the germ.
  • More information about signs and symptoms of STEC infection is available on the Signs & Symptoms page.
• In general, always practice food safety for meat.
  • Don’t eat raw or undercooked meat.
  • Cook ground meat hamburgers and mixtures such as meat loaf to 160°F internal temperature. Use a food thermometer to make sure the meat has reached a safe internal temperature. You can’t tell whether meat is safely cooked by looking at it.
  • Ask that ground meat hamburgers and mixtures be cooked to 160°F internal temperature when ordering at a restaurant.
  • Cook all raw steaks and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145 °F (62.8 °C) as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming.
  • More information can be found at the USDA website.

Advice to Restaurants and Retailers

• Restaurants and other retailers should not sell or serve the recalled meat products.
  • Don’t cook them and serve them.
  • Throw the meat away or return it to the place of purchase. If you throw it away, put it in a sealed bag in the trash so that children, pets, or other animals can’t eat it.
  • Remember to check freezers for recalled meat products.
• In general, always practice food safety for meat.
  • Cook ground meat hamburgers and mixtures such as meat loaf to 160°F internal temperature as measured with a food thermometer.
  • Cook all raw steaks and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145 °F (62.8 °C) as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming.
  • More information can be found at the USDA website.