A nationwide recall of ground beef has been announced after 15 people fell ill with E. coli food poisoning.

More than 160,000 pounds of ground beef from Wolverine Packaging Co. – based in Detroit, Michigan – is being recalled after the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) discovered Escherichia coli bacteria in a sample of ground beef.

E. coli O157 – the strain found in beef – is a dangerous form of the bacteria that can cause serious illness and sometimes death in those who ingest it.

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Symptoms may include dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps, two to eight days after exposure to contaminated food. Most people recover from the infection within a week, but some people – especially young children, older adults and those with weakened immune systems – may become seriously ill and be at risk of death.

A possible complication of E. coli is a form of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome. Symptoms include easy bruising, paleness and reduced urine production. People who experience these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately.

E. coli was discovered in ground beef from Wolverine Packaging Co. after 15 people in Minnesota fell ill with food poisoning; the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Health notified FSIS on Nov. 13.

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The FSIS determined that there was a connection between ground beef products from Wolverine Packaging Co. and the diseases, and on November 20, a beef sample collected by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture tested positive for E. coli O157. Newsweek has Wolverine Packaging Co. approached for comment via an email form.

“FSIS continues to work with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Health on this investigation,” FSIS said in a statement.

A spokesperson for Wolverine Packaging Co. said this Newsweek: “Wolverine is conducting an intensive internal audit to fully assess existing processes, including rigorous quality control measures, to maintain the highest production standards and to prevent similar issues in the future.”

Natalie Stanton, a chartered environmental health officer and founder of The Safety Expert in Britain, previously said this Newsweek that E. coli O157 was “a particularly nasty strain” of E. coli bacteria that could cause severe food poisoning.

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“For many other types of food poisoning bacteria, you need large numbers to make you sick, but for E. coli O157, even a small number of bacteria can make you sick,” Stanton said.

Wolverine Packaging Co. spokesperson said: “When cattle are slaughtered and processed, E. coli O157:H7 bacteria in their intestines can transfer to the meat.

“Minced beef combines meat from many different animals, which increases the risk of contamination.”

Those who became ill in this incident experienced the onset of symptoms between November 2 and 10 and were all in Minnesota. However, the beef was shipped to restaurants in the US.

The FSIS has indicated it is concerned that some contaminated products may be in restaurant refrigerators and freezers. It has urged restaurants not to use these products but to throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.

Most of the recalled products are fresh, with an expiration date of November 14. However, some of the products are frozen and have no expiration date.

All affected products are labeled with the production date of October 22, 2024 and have the establishment number “EST. 2574B” within the USDA inspection mark on their packaging.

Anyone concerned that they may have E. coli food poisoning should contact their healthcare provider, and consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or text email a question to [email protected].

Carrots and falafels are also the subject of recalls due to possible E. coli contamination.

Do you have a tip about a food story that Newsweek should cover? Is there a nutritional problem you are concerned about? Let us know via [email protected]. We can ask experts for advice and your story may be included Newsweek.

Update 11/21/24 1:52 PM ET: This article has been updated with comments from Wolverine Packaging Co.