The U.S Department of Agriculture has recalled thousands of pounds of boneless beef chuck due to possible E. coli contamination. The Elkhorn Valley Packing boneless beef chuck product, which was packed on February 16, has been recalled as it may be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O103. The affected beef, totaling 3,436 pounds, was distributed to nine states: Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. It was sent to distributors, retailers, wholesalers, hotels, restaurants and other institutions. The recall was initiated after routine testing of ground beef from the meat discovered the contamination. So far, no illnesses or adverse reactions have been reported. However, STEC is a common cause of foodborne outbreaks and the recall notice states that STEC O103 causes diarrhoea, which is often bloody, and vomiting. The USDA advises that ground beef should only be consumed if cooked to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. The recall notice contains a complete list of serial numbers for affected products and can be found on the USDA’s website.