The Fort Riley Commissary has cautioned patrons who purchased 80-percent lean ground beef on Friday after 1 p.m. at the commissary.

The information was contained in a news released issued by the Fort Riley Public Affairs Office on Saturday.

As a precautionary measure, patrons who purchased 80-percent lean ground beef marked with a pack date of April 25,2014, are asked to discard it or return it to the Fort Riley Commissary for a refund, according to Peter Howell, Fort Riley Commissary Director. Employees discovered metal flecks inside the grinder while they were disassembling the grinder for cleaning.

“We immediately called our military food inspectors and pulled all the 80-percent lean ground beef off the shelves,” Howell said. “We believe 5 to 20 pounds of the 80-percent lean ground beef may have been purchased before we were able to pull it off the shelves.”

No other fresh or frozen beef products are affected and only the 80-percent lean ground beef labeled with a pack date of April 25, 2014 and an expiration date of April 26, 2014, can be returned for a refund.

“Military food inspectors re-inspected the ground beef and found no evidence of metal flecks in the finished product, ” said Howell. “We still felt it was best to caution patrons as the safety and well being of our patrons is the primary concern.”

The health effects of metal flecks are limited to the physical injury caused by eating them. Small flecks are likely to pass through the body unnoticed, according to Colonel Paul Benne, Chief, Fort Riley Department of Public health. Larger flecks could possibly cause injury to teeth with chewing or to the rest of the gastrointestinal system. Symptoms could include upset stomach; mouth, throat or stomach pain; or blood in the stool.

Patrons who purchased and consumed the 80-percent lean ground beef and who are experiencing any symptoms should seek medical attention.