ALERT: 6.5 Million Pounds of Beef Recalled After 57 Sickened

Arizona-based meat producer JBS Tolleson, Inc. is recalling 6,500,966 pounds of “various raw, non-intact beef products” due to an outbreak of salmonella, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Thursday.

The products, identified as being supplied from JBS Tolleson of Tolleson, Ariz., are raw, “non-intact” beef items including ground beef that was shipped nationwide.

People are urged to check their freezers to make sure they don’t have the recalled meat.

Investigators say at least 57 people in 16 states have reported getting sick.

Hundreds of products are on the list. The USDA said the meat was packaged between July 26 and Sept. 7. They have an establishment number “EST. 267” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

What are the signs and symptoms of salmonella infection?
Most people infected with salmonella develop the following signs and symptoms 12-72 hours after being exposed to the bacteria:

• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Abdominal cramps

The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most people recover without treatment. In some people, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the bloodstream and then to other places in the body.

In rare cases, Salmonella infection can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics.

Children younger than 5 years, adults older than 65, people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness.

The recalled products, found here, were packaged between July 26 and September 7 and were sold nationwide under brand names Walmart, Cedar River Farms Natural Beef, Showcase, Showcase/Walmart and JBS Generic.