Elevated risk U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Northfork Bison Distributions Bison Burgers & Bison Ground recall: Has the potential to be contaminated with E. coli: O121 and O103

Recall published 7+ years ago

Has the potential to be contaminated with E. coli: O121 and O103

Northfork Bison Distributions Other food products — recalled other food productsNorthfork Bison Distributions Other food products — recalled other food products (photo 2)Northfork Bison Distributions Other food products — recalled other food products (photo 3)Northfork Bison Distributions Other food products — recalled other food products (photo 4)
4 photos published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration with the recall notice.

The hazard: E. coli contamination

This is an E. coli recall. It takes very few of these bacteria to cause illness, so a small taste is not a safe test.

What the notice says: This form of E. coli may cause diarrheal illness often with bloody stools.

Why it matters: Shiga toxin-producing E. coli causes a more severe illness than most food poisoning, and in a minority of cases it damages the kidneys. Very small numbers of bacteria are enough to make someone ill.

Symptoms and when to call a doctor

The CDC describes symptoms as severe stomach cramps, diarrhoea that is often bloody, and vomiting, typically starting three to four days after exposure. Most people get better within a week. A small proportion — most often young children and older adults — develop haemolytic uraemic syndrome, a form of kidney failure that needs hospital treatment. Call a doctor for bloody diarrhoea, diarrhoea lasting more than three days, a fever above 102°F, vomiting that prevents you keeping liquids down, or signs of dehydration. The CDC advises against taking anti-diarrhoeal medicine for a suspected E. coli infection unless a doctor tells you to.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you feel unwell, a clinician who can see you is the only person able to judge your case.

Recall details

Published
July 16, 2019
Risk level
Elevated risk
Issued by
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Brand
Northfork Bison Distributions
Product type
Other food products
Reports of harm
Illnesses have been reported; the number and extent of which are currently under investigation.

Products covered by this recall

Bison Burgers & Bison Ground

What the company announced

Northfork Bison Distributions Inc. of St. Leonard, Quebec is recalling its Bison Burgers & Bison Ground because they have the potential to be contaminated with E. coli: O121 and O103. This form of E. coli may cause diarrheal illness often with bloody stools. Although most healthy adults can recover completely within a week, some people can develop a form of kidney failure called Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). HUS is most likely to occur in young children and the elderly. The condition can lead to serious damage and even death.

The recalled Bison Burgers & Bison Ground were distributed across Eastern & Central U. S., to institutions and retail outlets.

The institutions that have Bison Burgers and Bison Ground in their inventory with the production date: February 22, 2019 – April 30, 2019, are urged to contact their distributor for a full refund. For the retail outlets, the Bison Burgers (4 x 4 oz) in question, with the expiration date up to October 8th, 2020, can be clearly identified by their blue boxes with the Northfork Bison logo prominently displayed. Consumers who have purchased these Bison Burgers are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Illnesses have been reported; the number and extent of which are currently under investigation.

Consumers with questions may contact the Company at 1-888-422-0623 .

Reproduced from the company announcement posted on fda.gov. Links and contact forms in the original are not repeated here; the official notice below has them.

Check your product

The notice names 3 codes you can read straight off the package. Type the one printed on yours and the list below narrows to it.

Best-by / use-by date

Printed beside the lot code, not on the price sticker.

  • October 8th
  • 2020

Package size

Match the net weight or the piece count on the front of the pack.

  • 4 oz

Codes are lifted verbatim from the FDA — Company recall announcements notice. A code that is missing here may still be covered — the official notice is the complete list.

What to do about E. coli

Northfork Bison Distributions — This is an E. coli recall. It takes very few of these bacteria to cause illness, so a small taste is not a safe test.

  1. Stop eating it now and keep it away from children.
  2. Seal it in a bag and throw it out, or return it to the store for a refund.
  3. Wash hands, utensils, boards and counters that touched it with hot soapy water — cross-contamination is how most secondary cases happen.
  4. If anyone has bloody diarrhoea, call a doctor the same day and say the word recall. Do not reach for an anti-diarrhoeal first.

How to get your money back

Food recalls carry a full refund, and in the United States you usually do not need the receipt or the packaging.

  • Take the product, or your photo of the label, to the customer service desk of the store where you bought it. Nearly every national grocer refunds recalled food on the spot.
  • Bought it online? Open the order in your account and use the refund option; marketplace sellers are required to honour a federal recall.
  • If the store refuses, contact the recalling company using the details on this page. The firm, not the shop, carries the cost of a recall.
  • If you have a loyalty card, the retailer can look the purchase up in your history — Kroger, Costco and Walmart all do this routinely.

Remedy named in the notice: The institutions that have Bison Burgers and Bison Ground in their inventory with the production date: February 22, 2019 – April 30, 2019, are urged to contact their distributor for a full refund.

Company contact: Northfork Bison Distributions Inc — Consumers: Rocco Verelli, 1-888-422-0623

The official notice

This page summarises a notice published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The agency notice is the authoritative version — read it before you act, and treat it as the final word if anything here looks different.

Open the FDA — Company recall announcements record U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalls

Questions people ask about this recall

Why was Northfork Bison Distributions other food products recalled?

Has the potential to be contaminated with E. coli: O121 and O103 This form of E. coli may cause diarrheal illness often with bloody stools.

How do I know if I have the recalled product?

Match the codes printed on your package against the notice: best-by date October 8th or 2020. If the code on your package is not on that list, your unit is outside the recall.

What should I do with it right now?

Stop eating it now and keep it away from children.

Can I get my money back?

The notice says: The institutions that have Bison Burgers and Bison Ground in their inventory with the production date: February 22, 2019 – April 30, 2019, are urged to contact their distributor for a full refund.

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