Cargill beef recall: 25,000 pounds may be tainted with E. coli

More than 25,000 pounds of Cargill ground beef products are being recalled because of possible contamination with E. coli, federal officials say.

The approximately 25,288 pounds of beef products recalled by Cargill Meat Solutions were produced on Aug. 16, 2018, and carry an "EST. 86R" label inside the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA, mark of inspection. They also include a use-or-freeze-by-date of Sept. 5, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service, said in a statement.

The beef under recall was shipped from a Cargill plant in Fort Morgan, Colorado to warehouses in California and Colorado, FSIS said.

The problem was detected on Aug. 22 when the company looked at records and found the beef might have been associated with a product believed to have tested positive for E. coli, according to the service.

E. coli is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps, with the symptoms occurring two to eight days after exposure. Most people recover in a week, but some develop a type of kidney failure that is most common among older adults and those under five.

FSIS is concerned that some of the beef might be frozen and in consumers' refrigerators or freezers. The agency said consumers should either throw the product out or return it to where it was purchased.