BURLINGTON, Vt. -
Nearly a dozen Vermonters got sick from salmonella traced back to ground beef sold at Hannaford Stores. Meat giant Cargill recalls nearly 30 thousand pounds of ground beef dating back to May 25th. In all 33 cases of salmonella were reported from the tainted beef and it hit a total of six New England states.
"It's not only Vermont, New York, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Virginia have also cases involved in this outbreak," said Bradley Thompkins, a Food Borne Epidemiologist.
He says the bad beef was sold at Hannaford grocery stores. 10 people in five counties in Vermont came down with the illness which can have mild to severe symptoms including diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever.
Here is how to tell if you have the tainted meat: it's Hannaford brand ground beef with a sell by date of May 25- June 16th. Some reports also indicate the tainted meat had a package labeled "Ground Beef Fine 85/15%."
Thompkins says while the sell by date was over a month ago, many people could still have the beef in the freezer, "That is our concern that this is a product you can freeze, take out and consume later so we want everyone to be aware."
Officials recommend if you have beef that may be from this batch, just throw it out. And if you do cook with beef, be sure to cook it to 160 degrees, which will kill bad bacteria.
