E. coli cases linked to burgers at multiple Twin Cities restaurants, health department says

MINNEAPOLIS —  Eleven recent cases of E. coli in Minnesota have been linked to burgers eaten at Red Cow and Hen House.

The Minnesota Department of Health says it has identified 10 cases of E. coli in people who had eaten burgers at Red Cow restaurants in Hennepin, Ramsey and Olmsted counties. One person infected reported dining at Hen House Eatery in downtown Minneapolis. 

The ground beef was also distributed to other establishments, according to the department, so additional cases could be identified. 

For three decades, Bill Marler has represented people sickened by food-borne illnesses like E.coli.

He believes the latest outbreak could have been avoided and both the meat supplier and restaurants are at fault.

"Clearly the meat supplier violated the law when E-coli got into the hamburger and was shipped out they are responsible," Marler said. "Restaurants also have an obligation to cook hamburgers thoroughly and that's to an internal temperature of 155 degrees. If they had cooked thoroughly, you and I would not be talking."

In a statement Friday, Red Cow said they were told by health officials that the bacteria is potentially traced to a Wolverine ground beef product sourced through US Foods, and there are around 61 other restaurants that purchased it. 

Health officials say the people infected had meals at the restaurants between Oct. 31 and Nov. 7, and their ages range from nine to 70 years old.

Anyone who ate a burger at a restaurant since Oct. 31 and developed diarrhea is urged to contact their health care provider. 

"In response, we took immediate action to work with public health officials to remove the suspected product from our restaurants and have removed the producers from our supply chain," the statement said. "Red Cow is no longer serving the ground beef that was identified as the potential source. In addition to the product-producer changes."

Red Cow says no closures were required and all locations have been thoroughly disinfected and sanitized. 

Epidemiologists with the health department are working with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and multiple environmental health agencies to investigate. 

Federal health officials say a deadly E. coli outbreak linked to onions on McDonald's Quarter Pounder burgers has sickened over 100 people in 14 states. One Wisconsin resident has gotten sick from the outbreak at McDonald's.