On Sept. 30, CNN news reported the largest recall of meat in U.S. history, which resulted in pulling some 21.7 million pounds of ground meat from grocery store shelves. The meat was reportedly contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, which can cause severe cramps, diarrhea and other illness.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture found 25 cases of illness across the country, including instances in Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The ground beef that was recalled had expiration dates of between Sept. 25, 2007 and Sept. 25, 2008, and the packages had the marking “Est. 9748” inside the USDA seal of inspection.

On Oct. 1, according to FOX News, the U.S agriculture officer tried to calm consumers by stating US meat stock is among “the safest in the world.” He assured the public that the government is on top of the problem.

Steve Rall, general manager of Bon Appetit at Biola, said the beef purchased for Cafe food is not from the list of ground beef that was potentially contaminated with E. coli. He added that the hamburger meat the Café uses is from Colorado and is 100 percent natural, without any antibiotics and chemicals.

According to Rall, Bon Appetit only purchases fresh beef instead of frozen beef. He stressed that fresh beef is less likely to be contaminated and injected with unknown chemicals.

News reports stressed the importance of being careful when dealing with raw meat. Consumers were advised that washing hands, using a separate cutting board and cooking ground meat to 160 degrees Fahrenheit can go a long way in avoiding diseases and sickness.