More than 165,000 pounds of ground beef products that were shipped nationwide may be contaminated with E. Coli, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Wednesday.
Wolverine Packing Co., a Detroit-based establishment, is recalling 167,277 pounds of ground beef. The recalled fresh products have a "use by" date of Nov. 14, 2024, while the frozen products are labeled with the production date "10/22/24." These products bear establishment number "EST. 2574B" inside the USDA mark of inspection and were distributed to restaurants across the country.
The issue was discovered when the Minnesota Department of Agriculture linked a cluster of illnesses to ground beef consumption. A sample collected during the investigation tested positive for E. coli O157.
So far, 15 cases of illness have been reported in Minnesota, with symptoms appearing between Nov. 2 and Nov. 10, 2024. FSIS is continuing its investigation in collaboration with Minnesota health officials.
E. Coli is a dangerous bacterium that can cause dehydration, abdominal cramps, and bloody diarrhea. In severe cases, it can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening kidney condition most common in children under 5 and older adults.
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Stores that sell the company’s produce across the US, Canada and Puerto Rico include Walmart, Target, Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe’s.
Restaurants are urged to dispose of or return the recalled products. Consumers should ensure ground beef is cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F to eliminate harmful bacteria.
For more information, consumers and media representatives can contact Wolverine Packing Co.’s Don Tanner at 248-762-1533. Additional food safety questions can be directed to the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854 or emailed to MPHotline@usda.gov.
Resources on safe cooking temperatures and the FSIS complaint system are available at FSIS.gov.
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The Source: This information was provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). This story was reported from Los Angeles.