A public health alert was issued for ground beef sold in Illinois and Whole Foods markets across the country over concerns the meat may be contaminated with E. coli.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service issued the alert Tuesday, saying the products “should not be consumed.”
The raw ground beef item was produced on May 22 and May 23 and shipped to distributors in Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois and Maryland, along with Whole Foods locations nationwide.
The alert involves one-pound packages of “Organic Rancher Organic Ground Beef 85% Lean 15% Fat” and has use or freeze by dates of June 19 and June 20, 2025. It has an establishment number of “EST. 4027.”
“The problem was discovered when the establishment notified FSIS that they shipped into commerce ground beef product that tested positive for E. coli O157:H7,” the USDA said in its alert.
By the time the alert was issued, the products were no longer available for purchase so a recall was not ordered, but officials said they were “concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers.”
“Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase,” the alert states.
Officials said there have been no reports of illnesses so far from those who have consumed the meat, but anyone concerned about an illness should contact their healthcare provider.
What is E. coli?
According to the Mayo Clinic, E. coli stands for Escherichia coli, a bacteria that normally lives “in the intestines of healthy people and animals.”
“Most types of E. coli are harmless or cause relatively brief diarrhea. But a few strains … can cause severe stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea and vomiting,” the clinic reported.
People can be exposed to the bacteria from contaminated water or food, particularly raw vegetables or undercooked ground beef.
E. coli symptoms
According to the CDC, most people infected with E. coli experience severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting. Symptoms typically appear within three to four days of ingesting the bacteria, and most people recover between five and seven days.
Symptoms include:
- Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°F
- Diarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving
- Bloody diarrhea
- So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down
- Signs of dehydration, such as:
- Not peeing much
- Dry mouth and throat
- Feeling dizzy when standing up
Some people may also develop serious kidney problems known as hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, which requires hospitalization. The CDC noted that at least one child experienced that symptom in connection with this outbreak.
E. coli can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, elderly people and those with weakened immune systems, according to the FDA.
What can you do?
The FSIS advised anyone consuming meat products to safely prepare their raw meat, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
“The only way to confirm that ground beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature,” the FSIS said in its alert.
Anyone with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at (888)-674-6854 or send a question via email to [email protected].
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