A Minnesota meat company is recalling thousands of pounds of ground beef because of E. coli concerns.

The USDA's food safety and inspection service says the Rochester Meat Company issued the recall after reported illnesses in Wisconsin and California.

The company says the 188,000 pounds of meat may be contaminated with a strain of E. coli that could be deadly.

The affected beef was produced on October 30th and November 6th.

It was shipped to distributors nationwide for use in restaurants and food service institutions.

The USDA says it was not sold by retailers.