More than 160,000 pounds of ground beef sold in the U.S. has been recalled after testing positive for E. Coli.
Wolverine Packing Co., a facility in Detroit, Michigan, is picking up approximately 167,277 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with the deadly bacteria.
The fresh products have an expiration date of 14-11-2024 and the frozen products are labeled with production date 22-10-24.
So far, 17 patients have been identified in one state, Minnesota, with an illness onset date between November 2 and 10. Two people have been hospitalized.
Ex-USDA food chief Dr. Darin Detwiler told DailyMail.com this was not the caseStrangely enough, this isn’t the first time that Wolverine Packaging Co. is involved in such a recall.”
The company faced a similar problem in 2014, when approximately 1.8 million pounds of ground beef was recalled.
This time, the recalled products bear the location number ‘EST. 2574B’ within the USDA inspection mark.
These items were shipped to restaurant locations across the country.
More than 160,000 pounds of ground beef sold in the U.S. has been recalled due to an E. Coli link
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The problem was discovered when the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) was notified by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture of a group of people who had become ill after eating ground beef.
FSIS was notified of illnesses on November 13, 2024, and in collaboration with the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture and Health, FSIS determined there was a link between Wolverine Packing Co.’s ground beef products. and this disease cluster.
On November 20, 2024, a sample of ground beef collected by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture as part of an outbreak investigation tested positive for E. coli O157.
To date, 15 patients have been identified in one state, with disease onset dates ranging from November 2, 2024 to November 10, 2024.
FSIS continues to collaborate with the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture and Health on this investigation.
Anyone concerned about an illness is told to contact a healthcare provider.
The E. coli O157:H7 strain that led to the Wolverine Packing Co. outbreak was said to cause serious illness and was linked to the 1993 Jack in the Box incident, which killed four children.
E. coli O157:H7 can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps for up to eight days after exposure.
The fresh products have an expiration date of 14-11-2024 and the frozen products are labeled with production date 22-10-24
While most people recover within a week, some develop a form 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 production. Those who experience any of these symptoms have been told to seek medical attention immediately.
FSIS is concerned that some products are 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 recalling companies are notifying their customers of the recall and that steps are being taken to ensure the product is no longer available to consumers.
FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and to only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160 F.
The only way to confirm that ground beef has been cooked to a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures the internal temperature.