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Public Health Alert Issued For Ground Beef Products Due To E. Coli Concerns

A public health alert has been issued due to concerns that ground beef products may be associated with Escherichia coli (E. coli) illness, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced. 

A look at the product label.

A look at the product label.

Photo Credit: FSIS

A recall for the products contained in HelloFresh meal kits was not requested because the products are no longer available for purchase.

The meal kits containing ground beef for this public health alert were shipped to consumers from Saturday, July 2 to Thursday, July 21. 

The following products are subject to the alert:

  • 10-oz. plastic vacuum-packed packages containing “GROUND BEEF 85% LEAN/15% FAT” with codes “EST#46481 L1 22 155” or “EST#46481 L5 22 155” on the side of the packaging.
  • The ground beef packages bear “EST.46841” inside the USDA mark of inspection and on the plastic ground beef package.

View the product label here.

FSIS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and state public health partners are investigating an outbreak of E. coli  and raw ground beef is the probable source of the reported illnesses, FSIS said. 

Traceback information identified that multiple case-patients received ground beef produced distributed by HelloFresh in meal kits for the nearly three-week period in July. 

FSIS said it is concerned that some products may be in consumers’ freezers. 

"Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them," FSIS said. "These products should be thrown away."

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. 

"Traceback of materials used to produce the ground beef is ongoing and FSIS continues to work with suppliers and public health partners on the investigation," FSIS said.

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