The Center of Disease and Control have confirmed more than a dozen cases of food-borne illness from those who consumed "Cannibal sandwiches."
According to the Associated Press, a Wisconsin tradition of eating raw ground beef between two pieces of cocktail bread has sickened 13 people. The meat in the appetizers is prepared with sliced raw onion and seasoned with salt and pepper.
Some described the Cannibal sandwich like "eating a cold hamburger."
"Despite ongoing outreach efforts addressing the dangers associated with consuming undercooked or raw ground beef, this regional holiday tradition continues to be associated with outbreaks," the CDC told Reuters.
E. coli bacteria, a common bacteria found in red meat, was reportedly linked to four of the cases. Warning signs of an E. coli infection include symptoms such as dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps. An untreated infection can reportedly lead to kidney failure, Reuters reported.
According to AP, state health and agriculture departments warned residents on Thursday to avoid eating cannibal sandwiches due to the E.coli outbreak.
"The CDC urged retailers to discourage customers from consuming raw ground beef, which it said should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius)," Reuters reported.
However, the popular holiday appetizers are a source of income for some, including Keith Meyer, who runs the butcher shop L&M Meats. This particular kind of meat for the traditional sandwich is also too lean to cook a "good" hamburger with it.
According to AP, Meyer sells 50 to 100 pounds of ground beef between Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.
Another butcher, Glenn's Market and Catering, has a similar turn out for their red meat.
"Both stores label their ground beef with warnings about consuming raw or undercooked meat, but the men said it's unlikely people are buying it to cook," AP reported.
