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 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 are labeled with a production date of “10/22/24.” These products bear the establishment number “EST. 2574B” inside the USDA inspection mark and were distributed to restaurants across the country.

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

So far, 15 cases of the illness have been reported in Minnesota, with symptoms appearing between November 2 and November 10, 2024. FSIS is continuing 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 life-threatening kidney disease most common in children under 5 and older adults.

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Restaurants are urged to throw away or return the recalled products. Consumers should ensure that beef is cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F to kill harmful bacteria.

For more information, consumers and media representatives may 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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