Publix Issues Voluntary Recall For Potentially Contaminated Meat

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Lakeland, FL - One of Florida's biggest supermarket chains is warning its customers about some meat it has sold which could be contaminated with a potentially fatal bacteria.

Publix has issued a voluntary recall for any ground chuck products sold between June 25th and July 31st at any of its Volusia and Flagler locations as well as in 22 other counties, many of which are in the Central Florida area.

Publix media and community relations director Maria Brous says those products may have been contaminated with E. coli 026. (Click here for more about that bacteria.)

"Food safety is our top priority," Brous added. "We urge our customers to make sure they no longer have ground chuck products purchased in the affected Florida counties from June 25th through July 31st in their freezers."

It's not clear at this point how that meat may have been contaminated or where the bacteria may have come from, per Brous.

Customers can bring any of the following affected items in for a full refund at your nearest Publix location, but Brous recommends that who bought those products throw it all out even if it's not brought back to Publix for a refund.

- Ground Chuck

- Ground Chuck Burgers

- Gourmet Burgers (Jalapeno & Cheddar, Pimento & Cheese, Bacon & Cheddar, Bacon & Fried Onion, Blue Cheese, and Swiss & Mushroom)

- Seasoned Ground Chuck Burgers (Badia, Mesquite, Montreal, and Steakhouse)

- Meatballs (Bacon & Cheddar, Bacon & Fried Onion, Blue Cheese, Jalapeno & Cheddar, Swiss & Mushroom, and Spanish)

- Meatloaf (Seasoned and Grillers)

- Slider (Bacon & Cheddar, Bacon & Fried Onion, Ground Chuck, Blue Cheese, Jalapeno & Cheddar, and Swiss & Mushroom)

- Stuffed Peppers

Other counties affected include almost all the Central Florida ones bordering Volusia and Flagler, namely Brevard, Seminole, Orange and Lake. The rest are Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, DeSoto, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lee, Manatee, Marion, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Lucie and Sumter.

Publix stores in all other Florida counties and those in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia aren't part of the recall, which Publix announced on its Facebook page Thursday night.

Any ground chuck products sold after July 31st should be OK, per Publix officials.

Publix is asking anyone who has questions to call them at 800-242-1227 or click here to visit its website.