If you’re counting down for the three-day Memorial Weekend and some good BBQ, be forewarned: The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has recalled beef in nine states for possible E. coli contamination.

According to the USDA, 11 people in 4 states may have been sickened by ground beef from the 1.8 million pounds being recalled.

Shipments of the tainted beef may have been received in Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Wisconsin at the following retailers:

—Gordon Food Service Marketplace (all nine states listed)

—Giorgio’s Italian Deliatessen (Stuart, Florida)

—M Sixty Six General Store (Orleans, Michigan)

—Surf N Turk Market (Sebring, Florida)

—Buchtel Food Mart (Buchtel, Ohio)

The beef is from the Wolverine Packing Company in Detroit and sold under a variety of names.

While none of the Wolverine Packing product has tested positive for the pathogen implicated in this outbreak, the company felt it was prudent to take this voluntary recall action in response to the illnesses and initial outbreak investigation findings,” Chuck Sanger, a spokesman for Wolverine Packing, said in a statement.

Consumers are advised to throw away any meat produced between March 31 and April 18, 2014 with the code EST.2574B.

The CDC estimates there are 265,000 E. coli infections in the U.S. each year.  According to the CDC, E. coli is a large group of bacteria that lives in the intestines of people and animals.  Certain strains cause gastrointestinal illness in humans, with symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea.

Read more about this massive beef recall and food safety at BlackDoctor.Org.

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(Photo: Tim Boyle/Newsmakers)