More than 160,000 pounds of ground beef sold in the U.S. have been recalled after testing positive for E. coli.
Wolverine Packing Co., a Detroit, Michigan company, is recalling approximately 167,277 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli.
Fresh products have a best before date of 11/14/2024 and frozen products are labeled with a production date of 10/22/24.
To date, 17 case patients have been identified in one state, Minnesota, with disease onset dates ranging from November 2 to November 10. Two people have been hospitalized.
Former USDA food chief Dr. Darin Detwiler told DailyMail.com that noUnfortunately, this is not the first time Wolverine Packaging Co. has been involved in a recall of this type.
He said the company faced a similar issue in 2014 with the recall of about 1.8 million pounds of ground beef.
This time, the products subject to recall carry the establishment number ‘EST. 2574B’ within the USDA inspection mark.
These items were shipped to restaurants across the country.
More than 160,000 pounds of ground beef sold in the US have been recalled due to a link to E. coli
The problem was discovered when the Minnesota Department of Agriculture notified the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) about a group of people who had become ill after consuming ground beef.
FSIS was notified of the illnesses on November 13, 2024 and, working closely with the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture and Health, FSIS determined that there was a link between Wolverine Packing Co. ground beef products and this group of illnesses. .
On November 20, 2024, a ground beef sample collected by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture as part of an outbreak investigation tested positive for E. coli O157.
To date, 15 case patients have been identified in one state with disease onset dates ranging from November 2, 2024 to November 10, 2024.
FSIS continues to work with the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture and Health on this investigation.
Anyone concerned about an illness has been told to contact a healthcare provider.
The strain of E. coli O157:H7 that caused the Wolverine Packing Co. outbreak is said to cause serious illness and was linked to the 1993 Jack in the Box incident, in which four children died.
E. coli O157:H7 can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and abdominal cramps for up to eight days after exposure.
Fresh products have a best before date of 11/14/2024 and frozen products are labeled with a production date of 10/22/24.
While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).
This condition can occur in people of any age, but is most common in children under five years of age and older adults.
It is characterized by easy bruising, paleness, and decreased urine output, and those experiencing any of these symptoms have been advised to seek emergency medical care immediately.
FSIS is concerned that some products may be in restaurant refrigerators or freezers.
Restaurants are urged not to serve these products and (FSIS) says these products “should be discarded or returned to the place of purchase.”
FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify that companies recalling the product notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to ensure that the product is no longer available to consumers.
FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground meat that has been cooked to a temperature of 160 F.
The only way to confirm that ground beef is cooked to a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures the internal temperature.