Minnesota – According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), 167,277 pounds of ground beef is being recalled nationwide.
Michigan-based Wolverine Packing recalled the ground beef on Wednesday after the FSIS found it may be contaminated with E. coli, an FSIS statement said.
Recommended Videos
The department began investigating when some people in Minnesota reported they had consumed the beef before becoming sick. As of now, there are 15 cases.
The product was sold to various restaurants across the United States from Oct. 22 to Nov. 4, according to a statement from the FSIS.
The department is urging all restaurants to remove any meat products from Wolverine with these dates from their refrigerators or freezers.
This follows the recent outbreak of E. coli in organic carrots and McDonald’s Quarter Pounders.
What is E. coli?
According to the CDC, E. coli is a type of bacteria found in the environment. This can include food, water and the intestines of people and animals. While E. coli is harmless in some cases, a few types can make people seriously ill.
In this case, the recalled ground beef is linked to E. coli O157:H7, which can cause kidney failure, among other serious issues.
How is it spread?
E. coli is often spread through contaminated foods, water, the environment or animal contact.
While the Department of Agriculture requires heavy regulation on beef products to prevent illnesses like E. coli, such as testing meat regularly, the FSIS did determine a link between the meat and an E. coli outbreak, they said.
According to their website, they are investigating the matter with Minnesota’s agriculture and health Departments.
What are the symptoms?
According to the FSIS, symptoms can start within one to two days after consuming the contaminated product. These symptoms can include dehydration, abdominal cramps and bloody diarrhea.
In some cases, this can escalate to kidney failure, which could be deadly if left untreated.
The FSIS said anyone with pale skin, decreased urine, easy bruising, and other symptoms should seek medical care immediately.
How often does this occur?
This type of bacteria causes around 74,000 infections in the U.S. every year, which, according to the CDC, can lead to more than 2,000 hospitalizations and 61 deaths.
Federal data shows that E. coli infections in 2023 were lower than in previous years, and cases of kidney injury remained stable.
