Over 6,000 Pounds of Frozen Meat Recalled Following Salmonella Concerns

More than 6,000 pounds of Walmart’s Great Value brand frozen meat have been recalled due to possible salmonella contamination.

George’s Prepared Foods, the company that produces the brand’s frozen, fully cooked meat, said it was supposed to be disposed of after a small portion of it tested positive for salmonella. However, it was accidentally shipped to stores all over the nation.

In a press release on Friday, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) gave the recall a Class I health risk rating, which means it is “a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.”

However, officials said that so far there have been no reports of illnesses caused by the frozen meat, but consumers who bought the product should either throw it away or return it to the store.

The USDA listed the following as those subject to the recall:

24.92-oz. packages containing “Great Value Fully Cooked Original Pork Sausage Patties” with a use-by date of 10/16/19 and lot code 1091971894.

24.92-oz. packages containing “Great Value Fully Cooked Original Breakfast Turkey Patties” with a use-by date of 10/24/19 and lot code 1171971897.

35.6-oz. packages containing “Family Size Great Value Fully Cooked Original Pork Sausage Patties” with a use-by date of 11/03/19 and lot code 1271972894 or use by date 11/05/19 and lot code 1291972894.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said individuals infected with salmonella will most likely develop symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps anywhere from 12 to 72 hours after contracting it.

The website continued:

The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most individuals recover without treatment. In some cases, diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. In these patients, the Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the blood stream, and then to other body sites. In these cases, Salmonella can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness.

The USDA urged people who are concerned that they may have salmonella to contact their healthcare provider immediately.