The meat may be contaminated with a strain of bacteria -- E. coli O157:H7 -- that's potentially deadly and can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration. The very young, senior citizens and those with weakened immune systems are most at risk.
The affected beef was produced Oct. 30 and Nov. 6. It was shipped to distributors nationwide for use in restaurants and food service institutions. It was not sold by retailers, the USDA service said.