LAKELAND, Fla., Aug. 30, 2018 — Publix Super Markets, in cooperation with regulatory agencies, has issued a voluntary recall related to ground chuck products that may be contaminated with E. coli O26 that was supplied by a yet-to-be determined source. Publix is alerting customers who may have purchased these products from June 25 through July 31 in the following Florida counties: Brevard, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Lucie, Sumter and Volusia.
Florida Publix stores outside of these counties as well as stores in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia are not included in this voluntary recall.
Products currently for sale in Publix stores are not part of this voluntary recall and should be considered safe for proper cooking and consumption.
As soon as health officials alerted Publix, the company immediately began working with various federal agencies on the investigation. Publix will continue to work with regulatory agencies to identify the supplier(s) that may have provided the contaminated product.
“Food safety is our top priority. We have been working closely with various federal agencies as we share the common goal of maintaining food safety and public health. We urge our customers to make sure they no longer have ground chuck products purchased in the affected Florida counties from June 25 through July 31 in their freezers,” said Maria Brous, Publix media and community relations director. “Customers should dispose of the product or bring it in for a full refund.”
The ground chuck products in question include the following:
- Ground Chuck
- Ground Chuck Burgers
- Gourmet Burgers (Jalapeno & Cheddar, Pimento & Cheese, Bacon & Cheddar, Bacon & Fried Onion, Blue Cheese, and Swiss & Mushroom)
- Seasoned Ground Chuck Burgers (Badia, Mesquite, Montreal, and Steakhouse)
- Meatballs (Bacon & Cheddar, Bacon & Fried Onion, Blue Cheese, Jalapeno & Cheddar, Swiss & Mushroom, and Spanish)
- Meatloaf (Seasoned and Grillers)
- Slider (Bacon & Cheddar, Bacon & Fried Onion, Ground Chuck, Blue Cheese, Jalapeno & Cheddar, and Swiss & Mushroom)
- Stuffed Peppers
Publix customers who have purchased the products in question may return them to their local store for a full refund. Customers with additional questions may call the company’s customer care department at 1-800-242-1227 or visit its website at www.publix.com/contactus. For more information about food handling practices when cooking meat, please visit the Partnership for Food Safety Education’s website at http://www.fightbac.org/grill-master/.
Consumption of products containing E. coli can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. The USDA Food Safety & Inspection Service advises all consumers to safely prepare their meat products, including fresh and frozen ground beef, 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, http://1.usa.gov/1cDxcDQ. For more information about ground beef food safety, visit the USDA website: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/meat-preparation/ground-beef-and-food-safety/ct_index