More than 165,000 pounds of ground beef products 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 facility, is recalling 167,277 pounds of ground beef. The recalled fresh products have a use-by date of November 14, 2024, while the frozen products have a production date of “10/22/24.” These products bear the establishment number “EST. 2574B” inside the USDA mark of inspection and were distributed to restaurants across the country.

The problem was discovered when the Minnesota Department of Agriculture linked a cluster of illnesses to eating ground beef. A sample taken during the investigation tested positive for E. coli O157.

So far, 15 cases of illness have been reported in Minnesota, with symptoms appearing between November 2 and 10, 2024. FSIS continues its investigation in collaboration with Minnesota health officials.

E. Coli is a dangerous bacteria that can cause dehydration, abdominal cramps and bloody diarrhea. In severe cases, it can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a potentially fatal kidney disease more common in children under 5 and older adults.

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Restaurants are asked to discard or return recalled products. Consumers should ensure that ground beef is cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F to eliminate harmful bacteria.

For more information, consumers and media representatives can contact Don Tanner of Wolverine Packing Co. 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 [email protected].

Resources on safe cooking temperatures and the FSIS complaint system are available at FSIS.gov.

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