The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing that Morasch Meats Inc., a Portland, Oregon, establishment, is recalling approximately 3,930 pounds of raw frozen diced beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.
The raw frozen diced beef items were produced on Aug. 24, 2022. The following products are subject to recall
- 30-pound box packages containing “BEEF DICED 3/10# BAGS,” with case code FM010152, LOT#: 082422 and a date of 8/24/2022 on the case label. Each case contains three 10-pound vacuum-sealed, clear plastic bags of the diced beef products.
The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 4102” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to distributor locations in Oregon for further distribution to restaurants and other institutional users.
The problem was discovered by FSIS during review of testing results, which showed the product tested positive for E. coli O157:H7.
There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider. E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps for 2–8 days (3–4 days, on average) after exposure to the organism. While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This condition can occur among persons of any age but is most common in children under 5 years old and older adults. It is marked by easy bruising, pallor and decreased urine output. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.
FSIS is concerned that some product may be in institutional or restaurant freezers. Restaurants and institutions are urged not to serve these products. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers.
FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume diced beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. The only way to confirm that diced beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature. Learn more at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/safetempchart.
Consumers and members of the media with questions about the recall can contact Troy Merriman, vice president of quality control and operations, Morasch Meats, at 503-257-9821 or troym@moraschmeats.com.
Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or live chat via Ask USDA from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Consumers can also browse food safety messages at Ask USDA or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.
Sources: USDA FSIS; Morasch Meats Inc.
