Throw Out This E. coli-Contaminated Beef, USDA Says

Ground beef accounts for 46% of all retail beef consumption in the United States in 2020. You probably have some in your fridge right now. If that’s the case, you’re going to want to check the label to see if it’s part of a multi-state recall of ground beef products because of possible E. coli contamination. Here’s what to know about the recalled beef, and what to do if you bought it.

What ground beef is being recalled?

All of the estimated 28,356 pounds of ground beef products came from Interstate Meat Distributors of Clackamas, Oregon, according to a statement released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The distributor issued the recall after learning that a retail package of their ground beef tested positive for E. coli O157:H7.

The recalled ground beef products were shipped to retail locations in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming—including WinCo, Walmart, Kroger, and Albertsons—and produced on December 20, 2021.

To find out whether any ground beef you have in your refrigerator or freezer is part of the recall, look for the establishment number, which reads “EST. 965” on the label. It’ll either be inside the USDA mark of inspection, or printed next to the time stamp and use- or freeze-by date, according to the USDA.

What to do if you’ve bought recalled ground beef

This should go without saying, but don’t eat it. The USDA advises anyone who has purchased the recalled ground beef to either throw it out or return it to the place of purchase (presumably for a refund or exchange).

If you have questions about the recall, you can Interstate Meat Distributors’ sales manager (Mike Sinner) or their quality assurance manager (Rodolfo Mendoza) at (503) 656-6168.

If you have questions about food safety, you can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854), email MPHotline@usda.gov, or live chat via Ask USDA from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.

And finally, if you have eaten any of the recalled ground beef products and go on to experience dehydration, bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps, or any of the other symptoms associated with an E. coli infection a few days later, contact your healthcare provider right away.