Health officials are warning the public about a risk of E. Coli contamination in ground beef products that were sold in May 2025.
No recall was issued because the ground beef is no longer available in stores, but they may still be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers.
The raw ground beef products were produced on May 22, 2025 and May 23, 2025.
They were sold nationwide at Whole Foods Market. The products were also sent to distributors in Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois and Maryland, where they may have been sent further to other states.
The warning involves 1-lb. vacuum-packed packages of “Organic Rancher Ground Beef (85% LEAN 15% FAT).”
They were labeled as a “Product of Australia or Uruguay,” with “Use or Freeze By 06-19-25” and “Use or Freeze By 06-20-25,” and establishment number “EST. 4027” in the USDA mark of inspection.
No illnesses were reported, but the products tested positive for contamination with E. coli O157:H7 — a Shiga-toxin producing strain of E. coli that may cause life-threatening food poisoning.
According to the USDA:
“E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps 2–8 days (3–4 days, on average) after exposure the organism. While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).”
Health officials are urging consumers to check their refrigerators and freezers for the recalled ground beef products.
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