Urgent nationwide warning for ground beef contaminated with deadly bacteria linked to colon cancer

Health officials have issued an urgent warning over ground beef sold at Whole Foods that may be contaminated with E. coli. 

The US Department of Agriculture issued a public health alert Tuesday for one-pound, vacuum packaged packages of Organic Rancher Beef from Vermont-based NPC Processing Inc.

The contaminated packages were produced on May 22 and 23 and have use-by dates of June 19 and 20.   

The US Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) did not request a formal recall because the products are no longer available for purchase. However, they may still be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. 

The meat was produced in Australia or Uruguay and processed in the US. It was then sent to distributors in Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois and Maryland and then to Whole Foods stores nationwide. 

The problem was discovered when company officials notified FSIS that they had shipped beef products that tested positive for E. coli O157:H7, a type of bacteria that can cause blood diarrhea, stomach cramps and vomiting. 

It’s the same strain of E. coli linked to the McDonald’s Quarter Pounder outbreak last year, which sickened 100 people, hospitalized 34 and killed one. 

E. coli may also be a culprit behind the rise of colorectal cancer in young people, as it leads to DNA mutations in the digestive tract that raise the risk of tumors forming.

Certain strains of E. coli also produce the cancer-linked toxin colibactin

To date, no illnesses linked linked to the contaminated meat have been reported, officials said. Consumers who have the product should throw it away or return it to the store. 

The most common source of E. Coli is undercooked ground beef, where bacteria can spread during processing. 

But leafy greens like romaine and spinach are another major culprit, often contaminated in the field through tainted water or contact with livestock. 

Raw milk and other unpasteurized dairy products also pose a risk, along with raw produce like apples, cucumbers, and especially sprouts — which provide the perfect warm, moist environment for bacteria to thrive.

E. Coli can also sneak in through contaminated water, which may be used to irrigate crops or clean equipment, and poor kitchen hygiene can help it spread to other foods like poultry. 

E. coli bacteria can cause infections with symptoms that include dehydration, diarrhea and cramps. 

Most people recover within a week, but some people can become severely ill and develop a dangerous kidney condition. Children under age 5 and older adults are most at risk.