Walmart Is Pulling This Product From Shelves, Effective Immediately

A massive recall is impacting a number of Walmart stores in 17 states.

Many of us rely on Walmart for our weekly grocery trips, but with millions of food products being sold in more than 5,000 locations across the U.S., there are bound to be some complications. In just the past few months alone, Walmart has had to remove popular purchases from its stores like zucchini, pancake mix, and tortilla chips because of various recalls. Now, another food item is getting pulled from shelves. Read on to find out about the latest recall impacting Walmart stores.

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A massive food recall was just issued.

Raw Ground Beef
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Lakeside Refrigerated Services has issued a massive recall on some of its ground beef products, according to an April 25 announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The recall covers more than 120,800 pounds of ground beef products that "may be contaminated" with E. coli O103.

"The problem was discovered during routine FSIS testing of imported products," the agency said in its alert.

Walmart sold the recalled products at a number of its stores.

Burke, USA - November 24, 2017: Black Friday sign in Walmart store entrance with map after Thanksgiving shopping consumerism in Virginia with sikh man walking inside
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If you've done your grocery shopping at Walmart recently, you'll want to check any ground beef products you've purchased. The FSIS alert said affected items were produced between Feb. 1 and April 8, and a number of them were sent to Walmart stores around the country.

According to Walmart, locations that were selling some of the recalled ground beef products span a total of 17 states: Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, Vermont, and West Virginia. Several locations in Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico were also affected, and there's a comprehensive list of exact stores on the retail giant's website.

"Walmart and Sam's Club are committed to the health and safety of our customers and members and to providing products that are safe and compliant, all supported by our health and wellness, product safety, and food safety professionals," the company states on its website. "In the event of a product recall, we work swiftly to block the item from being sold and remove it from our stores and clubs."

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The FSIS said you should check your refrigerator or freezer for any impacted items.

young man reaches into fridge to grab a package
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Recalled Lakeside Refrigerated Services products were sold at stores other than Walmart as well. The impacted brands are also sold at grocers such as Whole Foods, Target, and Winn-Dixie, Midland Daily News reported. According to the FSIS, brands that the recalled ground beef products were sold under include (but are not limited to) Thomas Farms, Nature's Reserve, Tajima, and Marketside. Products impacted by the recall have the "establishment number 'EST. 46841' inside the USDA mark of inspection," the FSIS noted.

"FSIS is concerned that some products may be in consumers' refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them," the agency advised. "These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase."

Watch out for certain symptoms of bacterial infection.

young woman on couch with stomach pain
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There have been no confirmed reports of illness or adverse reactions to people eating the potentially contaminated ground beef products so far, according to the FSIS. But consuming E. coli O103 can make you ill, usually producing symptoms two to eight days after you've eaten a contaminated product.

The food safety agency noted that most people infected with this bacteria end up developing bloody diarrhea and vomiting, and a health care professional can diagnose this infection by testing a sample of your stool. "Vigorous rehydration and other supportive care is the usual treatment; antibiotic treatment is generally not recommended," the FSIS said.

While most people recover from an E.coli O103 infection within a week, some patients can actually develop a more serious disease called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). According to the FSIS, HUS is a type of kidney failure that can occur at any age but is most common in children younger than 5, older adults, and immunocompromised people. "It is marked by easy bruising, pallor and decreased urine output. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately," the agency warned.

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Kali Coleman
Kali Coleman is a Senior Editor at Best Life. Her primary focus is covering news, where she often keeps readers informed on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and up-to-date on the latest retail closures. Read more
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