Ground Beef Sold Nationwide May Be Contaminated With E. Coli

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced a public health alert because Organic Rancher ground beef may be contaminated with E. coli. The ground beef was sold at Whole Foods Market stores across the country.

The FSIS issued this alert because the ground beef could be in consumers’ refrigerators and freezers. The beef wasn’t officially recalled because it’s already been pulled from store shelves. 

What Is E. Coli?

E. coli is a type of bacteria. The strain of E. coli found in this ground beef can cause bloody diarrhea, stomach cramps, and vomiting.

Symptoms often start within a few days of eating contaminated food. Most healthy adults feel better within a week or so. However, children under five years of age, adults 65 and over, and people with weakened immune systems have a greater chance of becoming seriously ill. If you have symptoms that don’t resolve quickly, see your doctor.

How To Identify the Ground Beef

The ground beef was sold at Whole Foods Market locations from May 26 through June 3. To check whether your ground beef is affected by this public health alert, look for the following details on the packaging.

• Name: Organic Rancher Organic Ground Beef 85% lean 15% fat
• Size: 1-pound vacuum-sealed packages
• Dates: “Use or Freeze By 06-19-25” and “Use or Freeze By 06-20-25”

The potentially contaminated packages will have the establishment number “EST. 4027” inside the USDA mark of inspection on the front label. This is what the label looks like.

Where Was the Ground Beef Sold?

The ground beef was shipped to distributors in Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, and Maryland and was then distributed to Whole Foods Market locations around the country.

Whole Foods sold the raw ground beef in 26 states and the District of Columbia, according to the Organic Rancher website:

• Alabama
• Connecticut
• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Georgia
• Iowa
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Massachusetts
• Maryland
• Maine
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Missouri
• Mississippi
• North Carolina
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Virginia
• Wisconsin

The FSIS was made aware of the issue when Whole Foods notified the agency that some ground beef they had shipped had tested positive for E. coli.

What To Do If You Have the Ground Beef

If you have the affected ground beef at home, do not eat it, says the FSIS. Instead, throw the package away or return it to Whole Foods for a refund.