Publisher’s Platform: Montana Wagu Beef E. coli Outbreak likely to grow

Montana public health has reported 14 ill with one death linked to Wagu beef served in restaurants in and around Flathead county. However, the area, like most in Montana, is a tourist destination, so it will not be surprising that people from outside the state on Montana who visited during the outbreak period were likely exposed to the tainted Wagu. More to come on that.

Last week the Flathead City-County Health Department (FCCHD) and the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) announced that they were working together to investigate an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak originating in Flathead County. On July 25th, FCCHD and DPHHS received confirmatory testing results of clinical and food samples verifying ground beef as the exposure of concern. 

Specifically, the source of the outbreak was wagyu beef from one lot number. Samples of the suspected product were sent to the DPHHS Montana Public Health Laboratory for testing, which allowed for laboratory confirmation of the outbreak source. None of the contaminated beef remains in circulation and all businesses associated with this outbreak have been contacted directly. Lower Valley Processing products are the source of the outbreak and were labeled with “Lower Valley Processing, Co.,” establishment number “EST. 007” inside the Montana mark of inspection on the product labels, and lot numbers 1398, 1399 and 1400. 

All clinical cases reported eating burgers made with wagyu beef at one of multiple restaurants in Flathead County. The last known date of consumption was July 14, 2024. 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. 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. Once the source of exposure was preliminarily identified, public health staff worked directly with affected businesses to ensure all remaining wagyu beef from the contaminated lot was removed from use.