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WASHINGTON, Dec. 27, 2025 – Mountain West Food Group, LLC, a Heyburn, Idaho establishment, is recalling approximately 2,855 pounds of raw ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O26, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The raw ground beef item was produced on Dec. 16, 2025. The following product is subject to recall [view labels]:

• 16-oz. (1-lb.) vacuum-sealed packages containing “FORWARD FARMS GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF” with “USE OF FREEZE BY 01/13/26 EST 2083” printed on the side of the packaging.

The product subject to recall bears establishment number “EST 2083” printed on the side of the packaging. The product was shipped to distributors in California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Pennsylvania, and Washington for further distribution for retail sales.                                 

The problem was discovered during routine FSIS testing and the sampling results showed the presence of E. coli O26.

There have been no confirmed reports of illness due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider.  

E. coli O26, like the more common E. coli O157:H7, is a serovar of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). People can become ill from STECs 28 days (average of 34 days) after exposure to the organism.

Most people infected with STEC O26 develop diarrhea (often bloody) and vomiting. Some illnesses last longer and can be more severe. Infection is usually diagnosed by testing of a stool sample. Vigorous rehydration and other supportive care is the usual treatment; antibiotic treatment is generally not recommended. Most people recover within a week, but, rarely, some develop a more severe infection. Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, is uncommon with STEC O26 infection. HUS can occur in people of any age but is most common in children under 5 years old, older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. It is marked by easy bruising, pallor and decreased urine output. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.

FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160 degrees F. The only way to confirm that ground beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature, https://www.fsis.usda.gov/safetempchart.

Media and consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact Jeremy Anderson, CEO of Mountain West Food Group, LLC, at 208-679-3765 or info@mountainwestfoodgroup.com.

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.