E coli warning for ground beef

Precautionary warning affects hamburger sold August 24 – September 16.

from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency

OTTAWA, September 22, 2012 – The public warning issued on September 21, 2012 has been expanded to include additional ground beef products because the products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. Previously identified products included in this recall can be found on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) website.

The CFIA is warning the public, distributors and food service establishments not to consume, sell, or serve the ground beef products described below because the products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

This recall also includes unlabelled and/or unbranded ground beef products available for sale from August 24 through September 16, 2012 and sold at retail stores not identified in the CFIA's product list below, which may include small retailers, local meat markets and butcher shops, etc. Therefore, the CFIA is advising consumers who are unsure if they have the affected ground beef product in their home to check with the store(s) where the product was purchased or throw it out.

The following products, made from beef voluntarily recalled by XL Foods (Est. 38), are affected by this alert:

Brand	Product	Size	UPC	Codes / Dates	Distribution
Foodland	Medium Ground Beef	Various	Starts with 211705	Packaged On dates between  2012.SE.16 to 2012.SE.22	NB, NL, NS, PE
Foodland	Medium Ground Beef VP	Various	Starts with 211660	Packaged On dates between  2012.SE.16 to 2012.SE.22	NB, NL, NS, PE
Foodland	All store-made Ground Beef products	Various	Various	Packaged On dates between  2012.SE.16 to 2012.SE.22	NB, NL, NS, PE
Sobeys / Foodland	Frz Beef Patties	Various	Starts with 231069	Packaged On dates between  2012.SE.16 to 2012.SE.22	NB, NL, NS, PE
Sobeys / Foodland	Store Made Meat Loaf	Various	Starts with 275366	Packaged On dates between  2012.SE.16 to 2012.SE.22	NB, NL, NS, PE
Sobeys / Foodland	All value added store made or packaged products containing ground beef (Frz Patties, Meat Loaf, meat Balls etc.)	Various	Various	Packaged On dates between  2012.SE.16 to 2012.SE.22	NB, NL, NS, PE
Sobeys	Medium Ground Beef	Various	Starts with 211705	Packaged On dates between  2012.SE.16 to 2012.SE.21	NB, NL, NS, PE
Sobeys	Medium Ground Beef VP	Various	Starts with 211660	Packaged On dates between  2012.SE.16 to 2012.SE.21	NB, NL, NS, PE
Sobeys	All store-made Ground Beef products	Various	Various	Packaged On dates between  2012.SE.16 to 2012.SE.21	NB, NL, NS, PE
None	Medium Ground Beef	1.36 kg 3 lb	0 27182 04367 0	EST 128  BB/MA Sep/19/12	AB, BC, MB, SK     (Walmart)

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.

This voluntary recall is part of an ongoing food safety investigation. The CFIA is working with the recalling firms and distributors to identify and verify all affected products.  If additional affected products are confirmed, this table will be updated on the CFIA website. To stay informed of product updates throughout the investigation, consumers are also encouraged to subscribe to CFIA food recalls and allergy alerts at www.foodsafety.gc.ca.

Food contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 may not look or smell spoiled.  Consumption of food contaminated with these bacteria my cause serious and potentially life-threatening illnesses.  Symptoms include severe abdominal pain and bloody diarrhoea.  Some people may have seizures or strokes and some may need blood transfusions and kidney dialysis.  Others may live with permanent kidney damage.  In severe cases of illness, people may die.

The manufacturer, XL Foods Inc., Edmonton, Alberta and various retailers, processors and distributors are voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace.  The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

For more information, consumers and industry can call the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday).

For information on E. coli O157:H7, visit the Food Facts web page

For information on all food recalls, visit the CFIA's Food Recall Report.

Find out more about receiving recalls by e-mail, and other food safety facts.  Food and consumer product recalls are also available.

Ground beef products may contain E Coli

© Copyright 2012 Canadian Food Inspection Agency, All rights Reserved. Written For: StraightGoods.ca