Officials Warn of E. Coli in Whole Foods Ground Beef

It's time to examine your meat – or risk contracting foodborne illness. U.S. regulators warned this week that certain ground beef sold at Whole Foods could be tainted with harmful E. coli germs.

The 1-pound vacuum-packed packages of Organic Rancher meat are the source of the issue. You may get images of the packaging here. The infection was found when the company notified federal food safety inspectors that select batches tested positive for E. coli.

The United States Food Safety and Inspection Service did not order a recall of this meat since packages are no longer available. Customers may still have them in their homes, though, because the products have use-by dates of June 19 and June 20, and they could have been put in a freezer to be used beyond those dates.

If you have specific packages of beef, it is recommended that you discard them and clean the area around where they were stored in the fridge or freezer as an added precaution.

What is E. Coli?

E. coli is a species of bacteria that inhabits the intestines. However, certain strains, such as the one found in tainted food, can cause severe sickness.

Contamination commonly occurs when faeces enter food or drink. This can happen if someone doesn't thoroughly wash their hands after using the restroom before handling food. It can also be caused by consuming unpasteurized milk (commonly known as "raw milk") or coming into contact with animals, such as at a petting zoo.

E. coli made headlines earlier this year when a deadly epidemic of the bacteria linked to tainted lettuce spread across 15 states. McDonald's also had an E. coli problem last year, with over 75 individuals affected as a result of an epidemic connected to yellow onions in some of its burgers.

E. coli infections frequently cause severe stomach pains, diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting. It could result in more severe consequences, such as kidney failure. If you feel you have E. coli, drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and consult your doctor.

While E. coli is rarely treated with medication and usually resolves on its own between two days to two weeks, it is critical to keep note of your symptoms. Diarrhea that lasts longer than that, severe abdominal discomfort, or difficulty urinating may indicate a subsequent issue.