Protecting families from contaminated food and water
All fields are required
Protecting families from contaminated food and water
Posted in E. coli,Our Blog,Outbreaks & Recalls on February 26, 2026
Over 11 tons of raw ground beef products have been recalled due to E. coli in ground beef. These products were sold through distributors to food service customers. While the recall may not impact you at the grocery store, it could have consequences when dining out.
What is E. coli and how does it get into ground beef? How do you know if you have E. coli and what should you do if you get sick?
Here’s what we know so far about the recent recall due to E. coli in ground beef!
A recent press statement has been released by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) involving 22,912 pounds of raw ground beef products. CS Beef Packers, LLC of Kuna Idaho has recalled certain 10-lb bulk ground beef products due to potential contamination with the health risk, E. coli O145.
Raw ground beef products subject to recall were processed on January 14, 2026.
Affected products include:
All products bear the establishment number “EST. 630” inside the USDA mark of inspection.
Affected product was shipped to distributors in the states of California, Idaho, and Oregon for further distribution to foodservice locations.
Restaurants and food service companies receiving ground beef should check their shipments. Do no serve, sell, or cook recalled ground beef products. Contact your place of purchase for details on how to handle recalled product.
At this time, there have been no confirmed reports of illness due to consuming these potentially contaminated ground beef products. So, how was the problem discovered?
As part of the USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) surveillance program, products under their jurisdiction are spot-checked.
In this case, “the problem was discovered during FSIS testing at a downstream customer,” where sampling results revealed the presence of E. coli O145 in the product.
You may be wondering, “how do you end up with E. coli in ground beef?”
A good question indeed!
You see, E. coli, even the strains that are harmful to humans, are a normal part of a cow’s digestive system. During processing, intestinal contents may come into contact with other parts of the cow. If not addressed (or effectively addressed), E. coli can contaminate the meat.
But this isn’t the only opportunity for E. coli contamination in ground beef. Every step in the supply chain serves as an opportunity for contamination.
Contamination can occur at slaughter, processing, packaging, transport, and at several steps once the end user/consumer has the product in their possession.
It is unclear where E. coli contamination originated for this specific recall. However, an investigation is in progress.
The symptoms of E. coli infections can vary from mild to severe. Most people begin feeling sick around three to four days after exposure. However, some may begin feeling sick as early as one day or as late as 10 days or more after eating contaminated food.
Symptoms to look out for include:
Normally healthy people generally recover from E. coli infection within five to seven days. Some people, on the other hand, may experience other complications. These complications may lead to hospitalization or even death.
The elderly, young children (under five years), and those with a weakened immune system may experience more severe illness or develop serious complications. Complications like hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS.
This is where infections get especially dangerous!
HUS, is a rare, but serious health condition that can develop after becoming sick with a toxin-producing bacteria like E. coli.
This complication develops when toxins rupture blood cells. These ruptured bloods cells clog the filtering aspects of the kidney. This can result in kidney failure and cause other downstream negative health effects.
People with HUS require hospitalization and monitoring to prevent further damage.
Symptoms to look out for include decreased urination, paleness in cheeks and inside of lower eyelids, and fatigue.
If you have been sick with symptoms consistent with E. coli infection and begin experiencing these HUS symptoms, get medical help right away!
Have you ordered a burger recently and became sick? How about any other product containing ground beef?
If you have consumed ground beef recently and begin experiencing symptoms consistent with an E. coli infection, you may be wondering what you can do to help.
Even if your symptoms are mild, it is still a good idea to report your illness to your local health department. This can help investigators get a better picture of the scope of a potential E. coli outbreak.
They may ask you questions about your symptoms, what and where you have eaten in the past few weeks, and other supporting information. So have that information handy.
If you have been seriously affected by this outbreak, it is a good idea to get advice from an experienced E. coli lawyer.
If you have become seriously ill with an E. coli infection from ground beef or some other contaminated food and wish to make a legal claim for compensation, The Lange Law Firm, PLLC has an E. coli lawyer that can help.
The Lange Law Firm, PLLC has successfully won millions of dollars in products liability and food poisoning cases and they can help you too!
Call (833) 330-3663 or send an email for a free, no obligation consultation.
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)