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Wolverine Packing Co., a Detroit-based establishment, is recalling approximately 167,277 pounds of fresh and frozen ground beef products due to potential contamination with E. coli. The fresh products have a "use by" date of November 14, 2024, and the frozen products are labeled with a production date of October 22, 2024. The products bear the establishment number “EST. 2574B” inside the USDA mark of inspection and were shipped to restaurant locations nationwide, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said.
The issue was discovered when the FSIS was notified by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture of a group of ill persons who had reported that they consumed ground beef prior to their illness. The FSIS was notified of illnesses on November 13, 2024, and determined that there was a link between the ground beef products from Wolverine Packing Co. and this illness cluster. A ground beef sample collected by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture as part of an outbreak investigation tested positive for E. coli O157. To date, 15 cases have been identified in Minnesota, with illness onset dates ranging from November 2, 2024, to November 10, 2024.
E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and abdominal cramps 2–8 days after exposure to the organism. While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome.
The FSIS is concerned that some products may be in restaurant refrigerators or freezers. Restaurants are urged not to serve these products. They should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. The FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160 F.