Nov. 21 (UPI) — The Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service says it has recalled 167,000 pounds of ground beef over concerns of possible E. coli contamination.
After agriculture officials in Minnesota detected a link between a group of people reporting illnesses and ground beef from Detroit-based Wolverine Packing Co., the FSIS worked with food officials in Michigan to determine the cause, the agency said in a statement issued Wednesday.
At least 15 people reported being sick after eating ground beef from the facility, which has a use-by date of Nov. and lists the number “EST. 2574B” inside the USDA’s inspection mark.
The FSIS posted a list of all the products covered by the recall as well as images of the packaging.
The recall covers more than 100 raw fresh and frozen ground beef products which are sold under brand names that include 1855 Beef, Davis Creek Meals, Farmer’s Choice, Heritage Restaurant Brands, and Cheney Brothers, Inc., in addition to Wolverine Packing Co.
The meat was shipped to grocers and restaurants nationwide, and the FSIS is concerned that some of the products could be stored in refrigerators and freezers. It is advising the establishments “not to serve these products,” and urging consumers to “safely prepare their raw meat products,” reminding people to cook all beef products to 160 degrees Fahrenheit to properly kill bacteria, including any potential E. coli.
In October, some McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers were linked to the same strain of E. coli, O157:H7, that was recalled Thursday.
Symptoms of E. coli poisoning include dehydration, bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They typically appear within a two to eight days after ingesting contaminated food.