The biggest risk may be from eating at restaurants, not from meat bought at the grocery store.
Wolverine Packing Co., a meat distributor based in Detroit, is recalling more than 167,000 pounds of fresh and frozen ground beef products for potential E. coli contamination. The products were shipped to restaurants across the country.
An estimated 15 people in Minnesota reported falling ill, with "onset dates ranging from November 2, 2024, to November 10, 2024," according to a Wednesday press release from the U.S. Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service.
FSIS released a list of affected products, along with images of labels for recalled items. The fresh products had a use-by date of Nov. 14, while the frozen ones had a production date of Oct. 22, according to the agency. The products show "EST. 2574B" on the label.
These items may still be in restaurant freezers or refrigerators, according to FSIS, which urges restaurant operators "not to serve these products." All affected products should not be consumed and instead should be thrown out or returned.
The products were possibly contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 -- the same bacteria recently linked to onions served at multiple McDonald's locations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 73,000 illnesses in the U.S. are caused by this particular E. coli strain each year.
"E. coli is a bacteria that is very, very common. We all have some E. coli in our intestines, and animals have E. coli," Dr. James Gaensbauer, an infectious disease specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, previously told HuffPost. "So, when we talk about E. coli in the context of these outbreaks, we're really talking about a particular strain of the bacteria that is more likely to cause disease."
Symptoms of the illness include diarrhea, dehydration and abdominal cramps, which can occur around two to eight days after exposure. You also may experience fever or vomiting. If you're experiencing bloody diarrhea, experts recommend that you seek medical help right away.
Most people recover from E. coli O157:H7 infection after a week or so, but a complication from the bacteria can cause a condition called hemolytic uremic syndrome, which is linked to kidney failure. This most commonly occurs in children under 5 or older adults, but anyone infected could be at risk. If you're concerned, contact your health care provider. They'll be able to help you address any illness ASAP.