One month after Nebraska Beef Ltd., one of the nation’s largest meatpackers, was involved in a nationwide ground beef recall due to an E. coli outbreak, the company is once again in the spotlight.

On Friday, the company recalled 1.2 million pounds beef produced on June 17, June 24 and July. The beef products are believed to have triggered 31 E. coli illnesses in the US states on the East Coast and in the Midwest: New York, California, Idaho, Colorado, Massachusetts, Virginia, Connecticut, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Last month, Nebraska Beef recalled more than 5 million pounds of beef produced in May and June after people in seven states were sickened with E. coli.

Also on Friday, Whole Foods Market pulled fresh ground beef from all of its stores. The meat they were selling was coming from Coleman Natural Foods, which had processed the meat at Nebraska Beef. Whole Foods’ managers took action after Massachusetts health officials told them on August 1 that seven people who had become ill with E. coli O157:H7 had all bought ground beef from Whole Foods. Other 31 people in 12 states, the District of Columbia and Canada were infected.

According to the Washington Post, Nebraska Beef has had a six-year history of sanitation violations. The plant was closed three times in 2002 and 2003 for problems such as feces on carcasses, water dripping off pipes onto meat, paint peeling onto equipment and plugged-up meat wash sinks.

In 2004 and early 2005, the company was written up at least five times for not removing brains or spinal cords from the food supply, as required, which problem they corrected. Those parts may be infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease, putting consumers at risk.

Problems with E. coli were also registered in 2006 when the company was blamed by Minnesota health officials for sickening 17 people who ate meatballs at a church potluck in rural Minnesota. The company faced several lawsuits at the time. One woman died due to E. coli infection.

E. coli is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, vomiting and in most severe cases kidney failure. Most of the infected persons get well in 15 days. People predisposed to the infection include children, seniors, and persons whose immune system is weakened. Antibiotics typically are not helpful, and infections are often treated by drinking fluids and taking pain relievers.

E. coli bacteria can be killed only if the meat is cooked at an internal temperature of more than 160 degrees.

The CDC estimates that there may be about 70,000 infections with E. coli annually in the United States, with many of these cases not seeking medical care. About 60 people die after being infected with E. coli the same statistics show. Most of them do not seek treatment or have weak immune systems, such as the elderly.