(Detroit Free Press) -- Federal officials this evening posted a partial list of grocers that may have sold ground beef that could be tainted with a potentially deadly E. coli strain, the focus of a nationwide recall of 1.8 million pounds of ground beef processed in Detroit.
Among the retailers listed in Michigan is Gordon Food Service Marketplace, which also has locations that may have sold the beef in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Florida, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
The meat, originating from Detroit-based Wolverine Packing, also may have been shipped to the M-66 General Store in Orleans in central Michigan, a grocer in central Ohio and two establishments in Florida, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service.
The USDA noted that the list could grow as the investigation continues. It also cautioned that although these grocers might have received meat from the Detroit company, it might not be contaminated.
At M-66, manager Megan Bowerman said the store had received no complaints about beef that would have been sold weeks ago.
Meanwhile, as Michiganders prepared for the holiday weekend and the grill, local public health officials were answering phone calls and working social media to make sure that some key numbers got out: The labeling code on the beef and 160 degrees — the internal temperature sufficient enough to kill bacteria in beef.
"We're getting a lot of calls from the public concerned they have this product in their refrigerators or freezers," said Lisa LaPlante, spokeswoman for Kent County Health Department, which confirmed one of the five Michigan cases.
Consumers are advised to check any labeling before using meat. Any label with "EST. 2574B" and a production date code in the format "Packing Nos: MM DD 14" between "03 31 14" and "04 18 14" should not be consumed.
The recall began after at least 11 consumers in four states were sickened after eating undercooked beef at restaurants.
Lab tests confirmed five of the cases in Michigan's Oakland, Washtenaw, Kent, Ottawa and Livingston counties. All involved adults between 20-41 years who became sick between April 22 and May 1 after dining out.
But the USDA indicated earlier this week that the recall was nationwide and a spokeswoman confirmed that beef might have been shipped to "retail" outlets, raising the possibility that some of the meat might have been purchased, frozen and is ready to be pulled out for the grill this weekend.
Adding to the complexity of the investigation, public officials had confirmed that two additional Michiganders — one from Kent County and the other from Muskegon County — were sickened from E. coli O157:H7 after consuming raw, or unpasteurized, milk from an Ottawa County farm.
Ultimately, genetic testing confirmed that the E. coli in the raw milk cases is not related to the E. coli believed to have been in the contaminated beef, said Ottawa County health department epidemiologist, Marcia Knol.
"It's been confusing to have these two things going on simultaneously," she said.
