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Wolverine Packing Co., based in Detroit, issued the recall, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced late Wednesday night, Nov. 20.
The affected products include fresh ground beef with a “use by” date of Nov. 14 and frozen products marked with a production date of Oct. 22. The items, bearing establishment number “EST. 2574B” inside the USDA inspection mark, were shipped to restaurants nationwide.
The issue was flagged after the Minnesota Department of Agriculture linked a cluster of illnesses to the ground beef.
To date, 15 cases have been reported, with illness onset dates ranging from Saturday, Nov. 2 to Sunday, Nov. 10. Testing conducted as part of the investigation confirmed the presence of E. coli O157 in a sample of the recalled beef.
E. coli can cause symptoms such as dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and abdominal cramps within two to eight days of exposure.
Restaurants are urged to check their refrigerators and freezers and immediately dispose of or return the affected products to suppliers. FSIS also advises consumers to cook all ground beef to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit to eliminate harmful bacteria. A food thermometer is the only reliable way to verify proper cooking temperatures.
Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Wolverine Packing Co. at 248-762-1533 or call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854.
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