KALISPELL — There is new information about the E. coli outbreak in Flathead County that resulted in the death of one person and at least 12 others infected.
The Montana Department of Livestock (DOL) announced this week that Lower Valley Processing Company of Kalispell has been identified as the distributor which supplied the E. coli-laced Wagyu ground beef to various Flathead County restaurants.
Lower Valley Processing has since recalled all non-intact raw products produced from animals slaughtered on June 5.
Potentially affected products were labeled with “Lower Valley Processing Co." with establishment number “EST. 007” inside the Montana mark of inspection on the product labels, and lot numbers 1398, 1399, and 1400.
The DOL said all potentially affected products have been removed from commerce by public health officials, the MT Department of Livestock, and Lower Valley Processing.
A Montana Department of Livestock news release states:
"Some products may have been sold to consumers directly prior to discovery of the potential contamination. Lower Valley Processing has contacted all known recipients of these direct-to-consumer sales. Any consumers who may have these products in their freezers or refrigerators are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase, and refrigerators should be thoroughly cleaned to prevent the risk of cross-contamination.
The DOL says all potentially affected products have been removed from commerce, but the agency noted the source of the E. coli contamination has not been identified.
In a statement provided to MTN News, Lower Valley Processing Company Owner Jeremy Plummer said: "The source of contamination is unknown. Department of Livestock took the lead on that investigation and Lower Valley Processing has initiated and executed a voluntarily recall. We did this because we hold a record of distribution of potentially contaminated product. The recall is complete, and we have care and custody of suspect product."
The Flathead City-County Health Department reported that the outbreak came from people eating “undercooked or made-to-order burgers made with wagyu beef” according to a news release. The last known date of consumption was July 14, 2024.
From a FCCHD news release: "The following restaurants are associated with the 14 cases of reported illness in this outbreak: Gunsight Saloon; Hops Downtown Grill; Tamarack Brewing Company; the Lodge at Whitefish Lake; and Harbor Grille. Furthermore, based on information provided through case investigation, one individual has died after exposure to wagyu beef consumed at Harbor Grille."
Patients involved in this outbreak were sickened with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157, which can be caused by a person eating raw or undercooked animal products contaminated with this strain of bacteria. Symptoms of this type of E. coli infection can include severe stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and chills. Young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for severe illness.
In severe cases, the infection can also trigger a serious condition called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HUS can lead to kidney failure, permanent health conditions, and death. Symptoms of E. coli infection occur between one and ten days after exposure, with an average of three to four days after exposure.
Several other facilities - Flathead Fish, the Crawdad Café, and the Flathead Lake Lodge - received contaminated wagyu beef from the same lot number, but no reported illnesses have been associated with these establishments.
