Cargill Ground Beef Recall: Possible E. coli O26 Contamination Risk
Cargill recalls ground beef products from June 2018 due to possible E. coli O26 contamination. Consumers are urged not to consume these products and should discard or return them to the place of purchase.
Use caution until it’s fixed
possible contamination with Escherichia coli O26
What happened, in plain English
Cargill is recalling approximately 132,606 pounds of ground beef products made on June 21, 2018, that may contain E. coli O26. This contamination could cause illness, including severe symptoms like bloody diarrhea and kidney failure, especially in children under 5 and older adults. Read more at govinfonow.com/recall/1275872-cargill-ground-beef-recall-possible-e-coli-o26-contamination-risk.
Source Summary by GovInfoNow · govinfonow.com/recall/1275872-cargill-ground-beef-recall-possible-e-coli-o26-contamination-risk · Updated October 6, 2026 · Official notice: USDA FSIS #081-2018
Cite this page
“Cargill Ground Beef Recall: Possible E. coli O26 Contamination Risk.” GovInfoNow, updated October 6, 2026. https://govinfonow.com/recall/1275872-cargill-ground-beef-recall-possible-e-coli-o26-contamination-risk. Based on USDA FSIS recall #081-2018 (https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/cargill-meat-solutions-recalls-ground-beef-products-due-possible-e--coli-o26).
Why it’s dangerous
E. coli O26 is a type of bacteria that can cause severe illness, including bloody diarrhea, vomiting, and in rare cases, kidney failure (hemolytic uremic syndrome). The bacteria can survive in raw ground beef and may take up to 28 days to cause symptoms after consumption.
Who’s affected
Consumers who purchased ground beef products from Cargill Meat Solutions made on June 21, 2018. Those most at risk include children under 5, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems due to potential severe complications from E. coli O26 infection.
How to tell if you have this one
Check for ground beef products with establishment number EST. 86R inside the USDA mark of inspection. These products were made on June 21, 2018 and shipped nationwide. The recall covers approximately 132,606 pounds of ground beef.
- Brand
Cargill- Category
Meat & poultry
What to do — step by step
Stop Using It Now
Discard or return the recalled ground beef products to the place of purchase to avoid potential illness.
What USDA FSIS says to do
Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them.
How this recall unfolded
Recall timeline
FSIS closed this recall in 2019.
- USDA FSIS announced the recall
- FSIS closed the recall
Dates from the agency record only; steps without a date are left out.
Questions people ask
What is the specific E. coli strain in this recall?
The recall involves E. coli O26, a type of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) that can cause severe illness.
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Where this comes from
The facts (hazard, remedy, dates, manufacturer) are pulled from the official USDA FSIS recall record. The plain-language summary and step-by-step checklist are written by GovInfoNow to make the official notice easier to act on — they don’t replace it.
- Official source: USDA FSIS Recall #081-2018 (September 19, 2018)
- Plain-language summary written by qwen3:4b on October 6, 2026, from the official record above. Not reviewed by a person — if it conflicts with the USDA FSIS notice, the notice is correct. Report an error on this page.
- GovInfoNow is an independent service and is not a government agency. We republish official USDA FSIS recall data; we don’t issue, amend or administer recalls.