JBS Tolleson Beef Recall: 6.9 Million Pounds Recalled, How To Get A Refund

Food supplier JBS Tolleson, Inc. has issued a recall of 6.9 million pounds of beef that could be contaminated with Salmonella Newport. The recall is being done in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) as well as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The affected raw beef products include ground beef packaged between the dates of July 26 and Sept. 7. The affected beef has an establishment number of EST. 267 within the USDA mark of inspection. The beef was shipped to retail locations and institutions located across the U.S. and includes a variety of brands under the recall.

A full list of recalled beef products can be found here, and a list of the 100 retailers that sold the affected beef can be accessed here.

The FSIS received notice of the contaminated beef on Sept. 5, 2018, and was able to track the contamination back to JBS thorough consumer receipts. The CDC has issued a warning to consumers about the contaminated beef which could make them ill.

According to the CDC, since its initial investigation in October, another 126 people have become ill with Salmonella Newport from the contaminated beef. A total of 246 people in 25 states have become ill from the affected beef since the CDC started its investigation, according to the organization. A total of 59 people have been hospitalized from the beef contamination. No deaths have been reported.

The FSIS is warning that some of the contaminated beef products may be frozen and in a consumer’s freezer. Consumers that have purchased the recalled beef products should not consume them. They should be thrown away or returned to the location where they were purchased for a possible refund.

According to the CDC, those infected with Salmonella may display symptoms that include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating the recalled beef. Symptoms may last four to seven days with most people recovering from the illness without medical treatment.

Some people may need to be hospitalized if the symptoms persist, especially elderly adults, infants, or people with a weaker immune system. The CDC recommends contacting a medical professional if the illness becomes severe.

The FSIS advises that all consumers take care when preparing raw meat products. Ground beef should be cooked to a temperature of 160° F while other cuts of beef should be cooked to 145° F and allowed to rest for a full three minutes.

Questions about the beef recall can be directed to the JBS USA consumer hotline at 1-800-727-2333. Food safety questions can be directed to Ask Karen, an FSIS virtual assistance available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov or with a smartphone at m.askkaren.gov.

The FSIS also offers the USDA Meat and Poultry hotline at 1-888-MPHotline or 1-888-674-6854 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available for consumers 24 hours a day.