The Controversial Costco Beef Recall That Led To 172,000 Pounds Of Product Disposal

Food recalls have become increasingly more common in recent years, with an 8% increase in recalls between 2023 and 2024 (via U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund). But even when considering some from years earlier, there are a handful of recalls that still haunt wholesale store Costco. Back in 1998, Costco made headlines when it was forced to recall 172,000 pounds of meat from 24 states after learning of potential E. coli contamination — a crisis that rattled shoppers because it was the first time a Costco-branded product had been recalled.

The contamination was discovered in response to a woman in New York becoming sick from E. coli after consuming Costco ground beef at a barbecue. Specifically, Kirkland Signature frozen beef patties were the contamination source. Once the USDA tested the beef patties, traces of E. coli were found. While Costco moved forward with the recall, it was noted that others who consumed beef from the same package at the barbecue did not get sick. The woman's illness could have been blamed on a lack of handwashing after touching the raw meat, which goes against proper food handling rules.

After the meat in 1998 was recalled, two different California couples filed lawsuits against Costco alleging that each of their daughters had become severely ill from eating E. coli-contaminated beef patties from Costco back in 1994. However, at the time, no recall was announced because there was no leftover meat for the USDA to test, so the source of the E. coli infections could not be proven. In one couple's case, their 5-year-old daughter needed a kidney transplant due to the infection. Costco said that, while E. coli was detected in its beef patties back in 1994, the detection was found before the meat was distributed, so it never made it to stores. It's unclear how the lawsuit ended.

Costco has been plagued with recalls throughout history, and it's continued in recent years. In January 2025, Kirkland Signature severe cold and flu plus congestion medication was recalled due to potential contamination with foreign matter; the company did not reveal what the foreign matter was. In September 2025, more than 3,000 pounds of Kirkland Signature ahi tuna wasabi poke were recalled due to potential listeria contamination (plus, its smoked salmon was recalled in October 2024 for the same reason). Finally, in October 2025, a massive recall on a pork jerky brand sold at Costco — a whopping 2.2 million pounds of it — was announced after it was found that the jerky could contain metal fragments.