Five Connecticut companies could have received meat from a Massachusetts company at the center of an investigation into a multistate outbreak of E.coli.
The Centers for Disease Control said Saturday that the outbreak of E. coli bacteria, which can cause intestinal illnesses, likely is linked to beef products from Adams Farms Slaughterhouse in Athol, Massachusetts.
The outbreak has sickened seven people and sent five to the hospital, including two in Connecticut.
People from 1 year old to 74 years old have become sick. They're from Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. No deaths have been reported.
Connecticut Department of Health officials confirmed two Connecticut residents were sickened.
The CDC says five people who were interviewed said they'd eaten ground beef in the week before getting sick and that tests conducted in Connecticut on leftover ground beef from an ill person's home and a restaurant found E. coli.
The CDC says Adams Farm Slaughterhouse on Saturday recalled various cuts of beef, veal and bison products. The products were sold at farmers markets, retail locations and restaurants in Massachusetts, Connecticut and eastern New York.
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The farm issued a statement that read in part:
"On Saturday afternoon, 9/24/2016, at 4:00 pm we started a voluntarily recall of product that is possibly contaminated by E. coli O157:H7. We are working with the USDA and the Mass Department of Public Health to ensure that all product that could be contaminated is withdrawn from sale to protect our customers and those that buy from our customers."
"While we are very concerned over the USDA’s over-reaction and its impact on our customers, we have fully cooperated with their requirements but want our customers to be aware that we stand behind all of our products and will continue to stand behind all of our farmer customers and their consumers."
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said the Food Safety and Inspection Service has reason to believe the following Connecticut companies received beef, veal and buffalo products that have been recalled:
- Campbell Farm Stand, at 1 Campbell Road in Griswold
- Hayes Dairy, at 151 East Street in North Granby
- Ox Hollow Farm, at 222 Judds Bridge Road in Roxbury
- True Love Farm, at 122 Thomaston Road in Morris
- Whippoorwill Farm, at 189 Salmon Kill Road in Lakeville
Truelove Farm in Morris sells at the Monroe Farmers’ Market.
"We are still waiting hour-by-hour to find out if we were part of it or not," Tom Truelove said. "Obviously, we don't want to take any chances."
Truelove said one of their cows was processed during the timeframe of the contaminated meat.
For more information on the recall visit the USDA website.
