Forward Farms grass-fed ground beef has been recalled for E. coli. Consumers who have purchased it should not eat it.
On December 27, Mountain West Food Group of Heyburn, Idaho recalled 2,855 pounds of raw ground beef products after tests conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) found E. coli O26 in a product sample.
Forward Farms Grass-Fed Ground Beef E. coli Recall
The recalled ground beef was produced on Dec. 16, 2025, and has the following product information:
FORWARD FARMS GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF
-100% carbon neutral raised
-1-lb (16 oz) packages
– USE OF FREEZE BY 01/13/26 EST 2083
-Shipped to distributors in California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Pennsylvania, and Washington for further distribution to retail stores.
What is E. coli O26?
E. coli O26 is a Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) strain. Shiga toxins are poisonous to humans. The most common member of the STEC family is E. coli O157:H7. That strain along with the STEC strains: O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145 account for most E. coli illnesses reported in the U.S. each year.
E. coli Symptoms
Symptoms of a STEC infection usually develop within one to three days of exposure. They include:
- -Abdominal cramps
- -Diarrhea that can be bloody.
Some people with STEC infections can experience dangerous complications such as hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), a form of kidney failure. About 7 percent of people with E. coli infections develop HUS, often children and teens are affected.
Over-the-counter antidiarrheal medications should not be given to patients with E. coli infections as they can increase the risk of developing HUS.