At least 19 people in Minnesota have been sickened by E. coli poisoning tied to a national recall of more than 167,000 pounds of potentially tainted ground beef, federal health officials said.

Detroit-based Wolverine Packing Co. recalled the meat this week after Minnesota state agriculture officials reported multiple illnesses and found that a sample of the product tested positive for E. coli O157:H7, which can cause life-threatening infections. The ground beef was sent to restaurants nationwide.

Four of those who fell ill were hospitalized, including two people who developed a serious complication that can cause kidney failure, an official with the Minnesota health department said.

The infections occurred in people who had eaten hamburgers at Red Cow restaurants in the Minneapolis and Rochester areas, as well as the Hen House Eatery in Minneapolis.

To date, no illnesses have been reported outside of Minnesota, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department. People fell ill between Nov. 2 and Nov. 14.