Ground Meat Is Being Recalled Over E. Coli

Buying ground beef in bulk is a godsend when it comes to making weeknight dinner on the fly, but before opening that extra pack from the freezer for sloppy joe night, you might want to double-check the label.

According to Food & Wine, Marcho Farms is recalling more than 5,000 pounds of ground beef, pork and veal over concerns that they contain the E. coli-producing toxin non-O157 Shiga. The announcement affects grocery stores in Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia, and while the meat in question was produced back in April, the USDA is concerned some consumers might still have affected packages in their freezers.

This isn't the first major recall grocery stores are dealing with this year. Earlier in April, Frito-Lay withdrew all of its jalapeño-flavored chips due to concerns over a salmonella contamination. And though there haven't been any reported cases of E. coli from this latest recall, judging from the PR nightmare Chipotle's been battling for the past year, it's not an issue to take lightly.

Of course, if you live in any of the affected states, we'd advise you to throw out the tainted meat and seek medical attention if you develop any symptoms, which include abdominal cramping, fatigue and dehydration.

Correction: While it was originally reported that Walmart was affected by the recall, company representatives have confirmed that Marcho Farms is not one of the retailer's suppliers.