E. coli Outbreak Linked to Ground Beef
Posted October 28, 2022
This outbreak is over. Learn what you can do to protect yourself from getting sick from E. coli.
Fast Facts
- Illnesses: 7
- Hospitalizations: 6
- Deaths: 0
- States: 6
- Recall: No
- Investigation status: Closed
Example of lot code on left side. Throw away “EST#46841 L1 22 155” or “EST#46841 L5 22 155.”
Contaminated Food
Ground beef in some HelloFresh meal kits shipped from July 2 to July 21, 2022
- Packed in 10-oz. plastic vacuum-packed packages
- Labeled “GROUND BEEF 85% LEAN/15% FAT”
- Has “EST.46841” inside the USDA inspection mark
- Has “EST#46841 L1 22 155” or “EST#46841 L5 22 155” on the side of the packaging
All six people who were interviewed in this outbreak reported eating ground beef from HelloFresh before they got sick.
What You Should Do
Check your freezer for the contaminated ground beef. If you have any left:
- Do not eat it. Throw it away.
- Wash items and surfaces that may have touched the ground beef using hot soapy water or a dishwasher.
Always follow these four food safety steps to help prevent getting sick from E. coli:
- Clean: Wash your hands, utensils, and surfaces often. Wash fruits and vegetables before eating, cutting, or peeling.
- Separate: Keep food that won’t be cooked separate from raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
- Cook: Use a food thermometer to make sure you have cooked your food to a temperature high enough to kill germs.
- Chill: Refrigerate perishable food (food that goes bad) within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if food is exposed to temperatures above 90°F, like a hot car or picnic. Thaw food in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
