A Montana meat processor is recalling ground beef tied to an outbreak of E. coli infections that has killed one patient.

Lower Valley Processing in Kalispell, MT, has voluntarily recalled all non-intact, raw products (e.g., ground meat products) produced from animals slaughtered on June 5, 2024, because they may be adulterated with E. coli 0157:H7, the Montana Department of Livestock announced today. 

Potentially affected products were labeled with “Lower Valley Processing, Co.”, establishment number “EST. 007” inside the Montana mark of inspection on the product labels, and lot numbers 1398, 1399, and 1400. The source of the E. coli contamination has not been identified.

Montana public health officials say all potentially affected products have been removed from commerce by public health officials, the Department of Livestock, and Lower Valley Processing. 

Some products may have been sold to consumers directly before discovering the potential contamination. Lower Valley Processing has contacted all known recipients of these direct-to-consumer sales. Any consumers who may have these products in their freezers or refrigerators are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. Refrigerators and freezers used for ground beef should be thoroughly cleaned to prevent the risk of cross-contamination.

The problem was discovered when Flathead City County Health Department began receiving notifications of illness associated with E. coli 0157:H7. A traceback investigation, done in collaboration with the Montana Department of Health and Human Services and Flathead City-County Health Department, determined that affected individuals consumed potentially undercooked Wagyu burgers at various restaurants. A sampling of the product labeled as lot 1400 confirmed the presence of E. coli 0157:H7. 

Consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact Lower Valley Processing at 406-752-2846.

On July 25, the local and state departments received confirmatory testing results of clinical and food samples verifying ground beef as the exposure of concern. Specifically, the source of the outbreak was wagyu beef from one lot number. All cases reported eating undercooked or made-to-order burgers made with wagyu beef at one of multiple restaurants in Flathead County. The last known date of consumption was July 14, 2024.

The following restaurants are associated with the 14 cases of reported illness in this outbreak: Gunsight Saloon, Hops Downtown Grill, Tamarack Brewing Company, the Lodge at Whitefish Lake, and Harbor Grille. Furthermore, based on information provided through case investigation, one individual died after exposure to wagyu beef consumed at Harbor Grille.

Several other facilities — Flathead Fish, the Crawdad Café, and the Flathead Lake Lodge — received contaminated wagyu beef from the same lot number. Still, no reported illnesses have been associated with these establishments. Once the source of exposure was preliminarily identified, public health staff worked directly with affected businesses to ensure all remaining wagyu beef from the contaminated lot was removed from use. 

Samples of the suspected product were sent to the Montana Public Health Laboratory for testing, allowing laboratory confirmation of the outbreak source.

About E. coli infections
Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled ground beef and developed symptoms of E. coli infection should seek medical attention and tell their doctor about their possible exposure to the bacteria. Specific tests are required to diagnose the infections, which can mimic other illnesses.

The symptoms of E. coli infections vary for each person but often include severe stomach cramps and diarrhea, which is often bloody. Some patients may also have a fever. Most patients recover within five to seven days. Others can develop severe or life-threatening symptoms and complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

About 5 to 10 percent of those diagnosed with E. coli infections develop a potentially life-threatening kidney failure complication known as a hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Symptoms of HUS include fever, abdominal pain, tiredness, decreased frequency of urination, small unexplained bruises or bleeding, and pallor. 

Many people with HUS recover within a few weeks, but some suffer permanent injuries or death. This condition can occur among people of any age but is most common in children younger than five years old because of their immature immune systems, older adults because of deteriorating immune systems, and people with compromised immune systems such as cancer patients. 

People who experience HUS symptoms should immediately seek emergency medical care. People with HUS will likely be hospitalized because the condition can cause other serious and ongoing problems such as hypertension, chronic kidney disease, brain damage, and neurologic problems.

(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News,click here)