WASHINGTON — Wolverine Packing Co., Detroit, Mich., will recall approximately 167,277 lbs of ground beef product that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, according to an announcement by the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on Nov. 20.

The problem was discovered when FSIS was notified by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) of a group of ill persons who had reported that they consumed ground beef prior to their illness.

The fresh products have a “use by” date of 11/14/2024 and the frozen products are labeled with production date 10 22 24.  A full list of products is available here. 

The products subject to recall bear the establishment number “EST. 2574B” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to restaurant locations nationwide. 

FSIS was notified of the illness on Nov. 13, 2024, and worked with the Minnesota agriculture and health officials to determine that there was a link between the ground beef products from Wolverine Packing Co. and this illness cluster.

On Nov. 20, a ground beef sample collected by the MDA as part of an outbreak investigation tested positive for E. coli O157.

According to the FSIS, 15 case patients have been identified in one state with illness onset dating from Nov. 2-10. 

“Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider. E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps for 2–8 days (3–4 days, on average) after exposure the organism,” FSIS said. “While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This condition can occur among persons of any age but is most common in children under 5-years old and older adults. It is marked by easy bruising, pallor, and decreased urine output. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.”

The agency said it is concerned that some products may be in restaurant refrigerators or freezers. Restaurants are urged not to serve these products. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.