Outbreaks
McNees Meats & Wholesale Ground Beef E. coli Outbreak
On August 9, 2011, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced that McNees Meats and Wholesale LLC of North Branch, Michigan was recalling approximately 360 pounds of ground beef products for potential E. coli O157:H7 contamination. FSIS and Michigan public health officials had traced three E. coli O157:H7 infections among Michigan residents to the consumption of ground beef produced by McNees Meats in July of 2011.By August 10, the number of Michigan residents suspected to be part of the E. coli outbreak tied to McNees Meats had grown to nine. A total of five confirmed Shiga-toxin producing E. coli cases and four probable cases were reported in Lapeer, Genesee, Isabella, and Sanilac counties. Illness onset dates range from July 18-30. Those affected range in age from 15-88. At the time of the announcement, 6 E. coli outbreak victims had been hospitalized.
On August 11, McNees Meats increased the recall from 360 pounds of ground beef to approximately 2,200 pounds.
The recall included products sold to restaurants and retail establishments in Armada, Lapeer and North Branch, Michigan, and at the McNees Meats and Wholesale LLC retail establishment.
