Utah officials announced today that they issued a cease and desist order on the meat department of a grocery store and have embargoed all products after testing found Salmonella enterica on March 31.
A foodborne illness investigation is currently underway.
Additional testing was done on March 31, and products tested presumptive for Salmonella at the International Marketplace in Midvale, UT,
Based on the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food laboratory results, any ground beef products produced by International Marketplace in Midvale from March 22 through March 31 are deemed under suspicion of contamination.
Consumers who purchased ground beef products from this location between the suspected dates are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
Individuals may also report suspected illness to igotsick.health.utah.gov.
UDAF and the Utah Public Health Laboratory are currently testing other products from the International Marketplace to determine the scope of the contamination.
About Salmonella infections
Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile, according to the CDC.
Anyone who has eaten any ground beef from the Midvale store and developed symptoms of Salmonella food poisoning should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis.
Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization.
Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others.
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