Central Valley Meat Co., Inc., a Hanford, Calif. establishment, is recalling approximately 34,222 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with Salmonella Dublin, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced.

The ground beef items were produced on July 23, 2019. The following products are subject to recall: [View Labels (PDF only)]

• 1-lb. chub packages of “STATER BROS. 100% PURE GROUND BEEF 96% LEAN 4% FAT” with lot 2049 on the retail label; lot 19204 on the case label; and Use By 08-14-19.
• 2-lb. chub packages of “STATER BROS. 100% PURE GROUND BEEF 93% LEAN 7% FAT” with lot 2049 on the retail label; lot 19204 on the case label; and Use By 08-14-19.
• 20-lb. cases containing “STATER BROS 93/7 Ground Beef 10# Chub 10 Lb. Chubs/ 2 Count” with lot 19204 on the case label and Use By 08-14-19.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 6063A” printed on the retail labels next to the lot number and inside the USDA mark of inspection on the case labels. These items were shipped to retail locations in California.

FSIS was notified of an investigation of Salmonella Dublin illnesses on September 9, 2019. Working in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health partners, FSIS determined that there is a link between ground beef products from Central Valley Meat Co., Inc., and this illness cluster. The traceback investigation indicated that a case-patient consumed ground beef produced by Central Valley Meat Co., Inc. Based on epidemiological investigation, 10 case-patients have been identified in 6 states with illness onset dates ranging from August 8, 2019 to September 22, 2019. Additional information may be found on the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/dublin-11-19/index.html. This outbreak strain of Salmonella Dublin did not identify any antibiotic resistance. FSIS continues to work with the CDC and state and local public health partners on this investigation and will provide updated information as it becomes available.

Consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses. The most common symptoms of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating the contaminated product. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days. Most people recover without treatment. In some persons, however, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. Older adults, infants, and persons with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop a severe illness. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact their health care provider.

FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. 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. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.           

FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160°F. The only way to confirm that ground beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature, https://www.fsis.usda.gov/safetempchart.

Media and consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact Josh Bornemann, CFO for Central Valley Meat Co., Inc., at inquiry@centralvalleymeat.com.