JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc., is voluntarily recalling certain ground beef products due to sourcing from National Beef Packing Co. LLC, a Dodge City, Kan., establishment that is recalling approximately 60,424 pounds of ground beef products that may be adulterated with E. coli O157:H7.
Products subject to the Winn-Dixie recall have “sell-by” label dates from 7/31/11 - 8/12/11 and can be identified as follows:
- “Winn-Dixie Ground Chuck,” UPC code 20170000000
- “Winn-Dixie Ground Chuck Family Pack (FP),” UPC code 29127700000
- “Winn-Dixie Ground Chuck Patties,” UPC code 20170100000
- “Winn-Dixie Ground Chuck Patties Family Pack (FP),” UPC code 29128200000
Products affected by this recall were sold in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.
The recall was initiated out of an abundance of caution for consumer safety, though the Company has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products. “We encourage guests with any concerns to return the product for a full refund, no questions asked,” said Mary Kellmanson, Winn-Dixie’s group vice president of marketing.
Winn-Dixie is working in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. The very young, seniors and persons with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to food-borne illness.
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.
Consumers with questions about the recalled Winn-Dixie ground beef may contact Winn-Dixie Guest Services toll free at 1-866-WINN-DIXIE.
Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.
About Winn-Dixie
Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc., is one of the nation’s largest food retailers. Founded in 1925, the Company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla. The Company currently operates 484 retail grocery locations, including 379 in-store pharmacies, in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia and Mississippi. For more information, please visit www.winn-dixie.com.