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12 Million Pounds Of Ground Beef Have Been Recalled, & Here’s What You Need To Know

by Gillian Walters

The United States Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA) announced Tuesday that JBS Tolleson, Inc. is recalling an additional 5.1 million pounds of raw beef products due to salmonella concerns, according to the USDA's website. The Arizona-based company's first recall was in October, and the total amount of potentially contaminated beef now exceeds 12 million pounds, as USA Today reported.

JBS Tolleson, Inc. did not immediately respond to Romper’s request for comment.

On Oct. 4, JBS Tolleson recalled "approximately 6,937,195 pounds of various raw, non-intact beef products" that were possibly contaminated with Salmonella, according to the USDA's website. The products — including ground beef — were packaged on "various dates from July 26, 2018 to Sept. 7, 2018," according to Yahoo.

Two months later, the recall has expanded to include an additional 5,156,076 pounds of raw beef products. These potentially tainted products were also packaged between July 26 and Sept. 7, according to PennLive.com.

"The scope of this recall expansion now includes an additional 5,156,076 pounds of raw beef products, which were produced and packed from July 26, 2018 to Sept. 7, 2018," an announcement reads on the USDA's website. "FSIS is concerned that some product may be frozen and in consumers’ freezers. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase."

The recalled products were distributed nationwide to the following brands, according to CNN: Kroger, Cedar River Farms, Grass Run Farms and JBS generic.

As of Nov. 15, the beef recall has been linked to 246 reported Salmonella illnesses in 25 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

JBS Tolleson is taking the illnesses and outbreak very seriously, noting that it has conducted an internal investigation into the matter. The company said in a statement shared to its website:

Upon notification of the first illness directly linked to product from our facility, we initiated the original recall and immediately conducted an internal investigation led by Al Almanza, JBS global head of food safety and quality assurance, former Administrator of FSIS and former Under Secretary of Food Safety at USDA. Based on the results of this investigation and a full evaluation of our internal processes and controls, we have made the decision to voluntarily test 100 percent of the beef trimmings produced in the Tolleson facility.

The statement concluded, "JBS Tolleson, in consultation with internal and external food safety experts, will continue to enhance its processes to ensure the safety of our products."

If you have one of the potentially contaminated products in your home, discard it immediately.

Regarding whether food in your fridge is apart of the recall, the USDA released a list of the recalled products that's sorted by brand name and product code.

Additionally, the USDA has provided photos of products labels linked to the recall.

It's important to note that if you're experiencing any symptoms related to Salmonella poisoning, consult a trusted medical professional ASAP. Symptoms include, according to WebMD: Cramps in your stomach, bloody stools, diarrhea, cold and chills, fever, headache, sick to your stomach, and throwing up.

If you have any lingering questions about the beef recall, don't hesitate to contact JBS Tolleson, Inc. directly.