Health alert issued for possibly contaminated ground beef: Here's what to know

The U.S. Department of Agriculture'sFood Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has released a public health alert for ground beef products that could be contaminated with E.coli.

According to the alert, the ground beef was produced by Greater Omaha Packaging on March 28 and has a "Use/Freeze by" date of April 22.

The ground beef, also has a packaging date of "032824 and the establishment number "EST. 960A" inside the USDA mark of inspection. You can find a complete list of the products affected by the health alert via this link. The product labels can be found here.

The food was shipped to food service institutions and retailers nationwide. The FSIS said they did not request a recall because the products are no longer available for purchase.

Greater Omaha discovered the problem while conducting an inventory, the release said. The company notified FSIS that they inadvertently used some of the contaminated beef to produce ground beef products that were then shipped to stores.

So far there have been no confirmed reports of illness due to the ground beef. Anyone who purchased this ground beef or has it in their freezer should not consume it and any food service institutions should not serve it. Instead, it should be thrown away or returned to where it was purchased.

E.coli is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps for 2-8 days after exposure. While most people recover within a week, some people can develop kidney failure, especially children under five years of age and older adults. Anyone who experiences easy bruising, pallor, and decreased urine output should see a doctor right away.

Anyone with questions about the alert should contact Gina Adami at Greater Omaha Packing Co., Inc. at 402-575-4702 or gadami@gmail.com.

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