Whole Foods Beef May Be Contaminated With E. Coli

August 2008

After reports of several illnesses, Whole Foods Market is recalling fresh ground beef from its stores amid suspicions that the meat might be contaminated with E. coli bacteria. All beef sold from June 2 to August 6 is being recalled.

According to Whole Foods spokeswoman Libba Letton, the company has received notices that two people in PA and seven in Massachusetts who shopped at the store have become ill. As yet, tests and investigations have not found E. coli in Whole Foods beef.

The beef came from Coleman Natural Foods, which processed the meat at Nebraska Beef of Omaha, a company which has had a long history of food safety and other violations, including producing beef that was the source of another E. coli outbreak this summer. Whole Foods says they were unaware that the meat was being processed at Nebraska Beef. Whole Foods stores in the following states may have sold the contaminated product: