A division of Cargill, Inc., has recalled about 8,500 pounds of ground beef due to possible E. coli contamination, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in late August.

Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation recalled the meat following an investigation that found that it was the likely source of bacterial strain E. coli O26-a strain that sickened two people in Maine and one in New York.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture first learned of the problem on August 5 when the Maine Department of Agriculture reported an E. coli O26 cluster of illnesses.

The products in question were produced on June 11 and shipped to distribution centers in Connecticut and Maryland for further distribution under various retail brand names.

E. coli O26 is a bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and-in the most severe cases-kidney failure.

Federal rules prohibit the sale of ground beef that contains a more common strain of the bacteria E. coli O157:H7, which has caused thousands of illnesses and many deaths. But federal regulators are now considering whether to also prohibit the sale of six other E. coli strains, including O 26. Many in the meat industry oppose the change, saying that it is unnecessary.

Wayzata-based Cargill is an international provider of food, agricultural, financial, and industrial products and services. It is Minnesota's largest private company based on revenue, which totaled $107.9 billion during the most recent fiscal year.