Fresh Brands Distributing Inc. is recalling ground beef products sold by some of its Piggly Wiggly stores in Illinois after E. coli infections in two people may have been associated with beef bought in Wisconsin, the company said.

Sheboygan-based Fresh Brands operates Piggly Wiggly stores throughout Wisconsin and in Antioch, Galena, Grayslake and Zion, Ill., according to its Web site.

The voluntary recall includes products labeled “ground chuck” and “certified angus beef ground round 85% lean,” with sell-by dates from July 15 through Aug. 5, 2007, the company said Tuesday.

The contaminated beef came from suppliers and was not directly related to store operations, Fresh Brands officials said. Tests found none of the problem bacteria, E. coli O157 H7, in later sampling of the ground beef products from two Wisconsin stores, the company said.

Consumers were advised to check their freezers for any of the recalled products, which can be returned to Piggly Wiggly for a refund. Anyone who ate the products and became ill was advised to consult a physician or contact the local health department.