Publisher’s Platform: Montana Wagu Beef E. coli outbreak likely to increase

Montana Public Health has reported 14 illnesses, including one death linked to Wagu beef served at restaurants in and around Flathead County. However, the area, like most in Montana, is a tourist destination, so it should not be surprising that people from outside the state of Montana who visited during the outbreak period were likely exposed to the infected Wagu. More about that to follow.

Last week, the Flathead City-County Health Department (FCCHD) and the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) announced they were partnering to identify an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that originated in Flathead County. On July 25, FCCHD and DPHHS received confirmatory test results from clinical and food samples indicating that ground beef was a concern.

The source of the outbreak was specifically single-lot Wagyu beef. Samples of the suspected product were sent to the DPHHS Montana Public Health Laboratory for testing, allowing laboratory confirmation of the source of the outbreak. There is no longer any contaminated beef in circulation and all companies involved in this outbreak have been contacted directly. Lower Valley Processing products are the source of the outbreak and were labeled “Lower Valley Processing, Co.,” facility number “EST. 007” in the Montana inspection mark on the product labels and lot numbers 1398, 1399 and 1400.

All clinical cases reported eating hamburgers made with Wagyu beef at one of the many restaurants in Flathead County. The last known date of consumption was July 14, 2024. The following restaurants have been linked to the 14 cases of illness reported in this outbreak: Gunsight Saloon; Hop Downtown Grill; Tamarack Brewery; the Lodge at Whitefish Lake; and harbor grille. Additionally, based on information from a case study, one person 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, but no illnesses associated with these establishments have been reported. Once the source of exposure was tentatively identified, public health staff worked directly with the affected businesses to ensure that all remaining Wagyu beef from the contaminated property was removed from service.