If you recently stocked up on ground beef

patties ahead of summer grilling season, you’re going to want to check your burger stash. According to an announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)1, a public health alert was recently issued for raw ground beef products sold nationwide because they may be contaminated with E. coli. A recall was not initiated because the products are no longer available for purchase. Still, the FSIS maintains that these products should not be consumed.

Per the announcement, the raw ground beef that is subject to this health alert was produced on May 22, 2025, and May 23, 2025. Details on the potentially contaminated ground beef are below:

1-lb. vacuum-packed packages of "ORGANIC RANCHER ORGANIC GROUND BEEF 85% LEAN 15% FAT" with "Use or Freeze By 06-19-25" and "Use or Freeze By 06-20-25" as represented on the packaging
The potentially contaminated ground beef also bears establishment number "EST. 4027" inside the USDA mark of inspection.

Additionally, the USDA notes that this

ground beef was shipped to distributor locations in Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, and Maryland, and was further distributed to Whole Foods Market retail locations across the country.

While there have been no confirmed reports of illness due to the consumption of these products, the FSIS is concerned that some of the potentially contaminated ground beef may be in consumers' refrigerators or freezers. As such, shoppers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. Instead, these products should be immediately thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.