Meat from Salt Lake company recalled due to possible E. coli contamination

WASHINGTON — A Salt Lake City-based meat company is recalling more than a ton of ground beef from Utah restaurants due to concerns of E. coli contamination.

Main Street Quality Meats is recalling about 2,310 pounds of ground beef, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced Thursday.

The recalled products are 10-pound cases of Ground Beef Bulk and 12-pound cases of Ground Beef Patties. They were produced on Oct. 18 and 19 and were distributed to restaurants in Utah.

Each case bears the establishment number “EST. 19916” inside the USDA mark of inspection, as well as any of the following identifying lot numbers: 1018121, 1019121, 1018122, or 1019122.

FSIS and the company have received no reports of illnesses associated with the consumption of these products. People concerned about an illness should contact a doctor.

E. coli is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and, in the most severe cases, kidney failure. The very young, seniors and people 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 degrees Fahrenheit. 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 food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. The live chat services are available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT.