The number of E. coli cases tied to an outbreak at Los Burritos Mexicanos in Lombard, Ill., has risen to 9 confirmed and another 8 probable, according to the DuPage County Health Department.
As Food Safety News reported yesterday, the restaurant was closed on Friday for an E. coli investigation. The restaurant remained closed through Tuesday.
Out of the 9 confirmed illnesses, 6 people were hospitalized, though all have since been discharged.
In other, seemingly unrelated E. coli news:
National Beef Packing Co., a Liberal, Kan., establishment, is recalling approximately 22,737 pounds of raw ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.
The following products are subject to recall:
• 10 lb. packages of “National Beef” 80/20 Coarse Ground Chuck, package code “0481.”
• 10 lb. packages of “National Beef” 81/19 Coarse Ground Beef, package code “0421.”
• 10 lb. packages of “National Beef” 80/20 Fine Ground Chuck, package code “0484.”
All these products have a “USE BY/SELL BY DATE” of June 14, 2013. The products were produced on May 25, 2013, and shipped to various institutions and retail establishments. FSIS and the establishment are concerned that some product may be frozen and in shoppers’ freezers.
The problem was discovered through routine FSIS monitoring which confirmed a positive result for E.coli O157:H7. An investigation determined the firm was the sole supplier of the source materials used to produce the positive product. FSIS and the company have received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products.