The USDA Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a Public Health Alert due to concerns that ground beef in certain HelloFresh meal kits may be linked to an outbreak of E. coli illnesses.
The meal kits with potentially contaminated ground beef were shipped to consumers from July 2 through July 21, 2022.
No recall was issued because the HelloFresh meal kits are no longer for sale, but the ground beef could still be in consumers’ freezers.
The product is a 10-oz. plastic vacuum-packed package containing “GROUND BEEF 85% LEAN/15% FAT” with codes “EST#46841 L1 22 155” or “EST#46841 L5 22 155” on the side of the packaging.
Health officials said that multiple people were infected with E. coli after eating ground beef in HelloFresh meal kits in July. There was no information on how many people got sick, or where they live.
Investigators said that “raw ground beef is the probable source of the reported illnesses. Traceback information identified that multiple case-patients received ground beef produced at establishment M46841 and distributed by HelloFresh in meal kits from July 2-21, 2022.”
FSIS is recommending that all consumers should safely prepare their raw meat, including fresh and frozen, and only eat ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160ºF.
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