By Theopolis Waters
CHICAGO, May 19 (Reuters) - A Michigan meat processing plant has recalled 1.8 million lbs of ground beef for possible contamination with the E.coli bacteria, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced on Monday.
USDA said Wolverine Packing Co in Detroit is recalling the 1.8 million lbs of ground beef products produced between March 31 and April 18 after FSIS was notified of a case of E.coli 0157:H7 illness on May 12.
FSIS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention traced the case to the Wolverine Packing Company. Further investigations identified 11 people in four states sickened by the potentially deadly bacteria.
The product in question bears the establishment number "EST.2574B" with a production date code marked "Packing Nos:MM DD 14" between "03 31 14" and "04 18 14."
USDA said some of the recalled products were shipped to distributors for restaurant use in Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio.
They said none of the potentially contaminated ground beef made its way to the Department of Defense, the National School Lunch Program or catalog/internet sales. (Reporting by Theopolis Waters; Editing by Chris Reese)