Mountain West Food Group product recalled over E. coli risk

Recall date

December 27, 2025

Source

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA FSIS)

Official notice title

Mountain West Food Group, LLC Recalls Ground Beef Products Due To Possible E. Coli O26 Contamination

Recall number

042-2025

FDA classification

Class I

Brand / firm

Mountain West Food Group LLC

Sold / distributed

California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Pennsylvania, Washington

Why it was recalled

Product Contamination

Class I is the FDA’s most serious recall level: there is a reasonable probability that using this product will cause serious harm or death.

What was recalled

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 2-8 days (average of 3-4 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 decre…