These HelloFresh ground beef products may have E. coli links, USDA says in alert

Ground beef products from HelloFresh meal kits shipped in July may be linked to E. coli illness, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

The FSIS issued a public health alert Saturday over concerns that these ground beef products – sent to customers between July 2 and July 21 – were contaminated.

A recall was not issued "because the products are no longer available for purchase," the FSIS said. Still, the agency fears that affected HelloFresh ground beef could be in some consumers' freezers.

Consumers can identify which HelloFresh products are subject to the public health alert by looking at the labels. The affected ground beef will come in 10-ounce, plastic vacuum-packed packaging and contain "GROUND BEEF 85% LEAN/15% FAT" – with codes "EST#46841 L1 22 155" or "EST#46841 L5 22 155" labeled on the side of the package, the FSIS said.

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The products also have "EST.46841" within the USDA mark of inspection on the packaging, the FSIS said.

If you find these products in your freezer, the FSIS said, they should be thrown away.

The FSIS added that the agency, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state public health agencies, are conducting an ongoing investigation of an E. coli outbreak – and that "raw ground beef is the probable source of the reported illnesses." Multiple cases have been identified in people who received the affected HelloFresh products, the FSIS said.

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In a statement sent to USA TODAY on Tuesday, HelloFresh said "the safety and quality of our ingredients is our highest priority." The company added that the FSIS alert "affects a very small portion of HelloFresh customers in the US who received ground beef from one specific supplier," and that the alert was issued "out of an abundance of caution."

HelloFresh said that it was "closely partnering" with the USDA and the supplier as the investigation continues.