Approximately 1.8 million pounds of beef potentially contaminated with E. coli was recalled on Monday, after 11 people in four states reportedly fell ill from the meat.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Safety Inspection Service recall information, reports of the cases ranged from April 22 to May 2, 2014. Various public health partners and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials connected the contamination back to meat packaging from Wolverine Packing Company made between March 31, and April 18, 2014.
The affected products, which bear the establishment number EST 2574B, were sent to restaurant distributors for use in Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio.
E. coli victims suffer from dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps anywhere from two to eight days after being exposed to the bacteria. The disease causes people to bruise easily, go to the bathroom more than usual and become pale.
Victims can also come down with hemolytic uremic syndrome, or kidney failure. Children under five are most prone to this condition.
The USDA recommends many safety precautions to help protect consumers from E. coli.
Beef should be cooked to 160 degrees, in order to kill harmful germs and safely prepare the products, fresh and frozen alike.
The temperature is measurable via a food thermometer.
Consumers should cook fish to 145 degrees fahrenheit. Beef, pork, lamb chops, steak and roasts are safe at 145 degrees with a three minute rest time.
Ground meat and hot dogs require 160 degrees - hot dogs also work steaming hot.
Raw meat and poultry should go in the refrigerator within two hours of a consumer's purchase. Products in conditions 90 degrees or more, require an hour.
Those with food safety questions can contact the service's online representative Ask Karen at askkaren.gov, 24 hours a day. The service is also accessible on consumers' smartphones.
The USDA's toll-free meat and poultry hotline is also available at 1-888-MPHotline or 1-888-674-6854 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
