Overview

• The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a public health alert on June 3 after Organic Rancher ground beef tested positive for E. coli O157:H7
• The alert covers 1-lb vacuum-packed packages of Organic Rancher Organic Ground Beef 85% Lean 15% Fat produced May 22–23 by NPC Processing Inc., labeled with use-by dates of June 19 and June 20
• The beef, sourced from Australia and Uruguay and processed in Shelburne, Vermont, was shipped to distributors in Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois and Maryland before reaching Whole Foods Market stores nationwide
• No illnesses have been linked to these products as of June 5, but officials warn that E. coli O157:H7 can cause bloody diarrhea, severe abdominal cramps and life-threatening kidney failure in young children and older adults
• Consumers are urged to check home refrigerators and freezers for the affected packages, discard or return them and cook all ground beef to an internal temperature of 160 °F to kill harmful bacteria