The price of beef has been steadily increasing over the past year, now reaching record levels, with ground beef and steaks 12% more expensive compared to 2024. That’s according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The raw ground beef products produced by Lakeside Refrigerated Services, a company in Swedesboro, New Jersey, were shipped to retail locations nationwide, according to FSIS. The bacteria that make these toxins are called "Shiga toxin-producing" E. coli (STEC). The most commonly found STEC in the United States is E. coli O157:H7. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are 265,000 STEC infections each year in the United States. E. coli O157:H7 causes more than 36% of these infections.