Updated Health Hazard Alert - Various RAW BEEF Products May Contain E. coli O157:H7 Bacteria

Advisory details

Ottawa, October 5, 2012 - The public warning issued on October 3, 2012 has been updated to include additional products. Previously identified products included in this recall can be found on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) website at www.inspection.gc.ca/recalls.

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

The affected products are associated with the same XL Foods manufacturing dates of August 24, 27, 28, 29 and September 5, 2012, as the previously recalled ground beef products. The trace out from XL to secondary and tertiary distributors, manufacturers and retailers could result in a large number of affected products over a wide range of codes and dates.

This recall also includes unlabelled and/or unbranded beef products 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 beef products in their homes to check with the store(s) where the products were purchased or throw them out.

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

Walmart has been informed by their supplier of the following additions of affected codes and/or corrections (identified by an asterisk *) in respect of recalled products originally identified in earlier health hazard alerts:

Loblaw Companies Limited (Loblaw) has informed the CFIA of a correction to the UPC (identified by an asterisk *) of the following product, which had been identified in an earlier health hazard alert:

The CFIA is advising consumers who are unsure if they have the affected beef in their home to check with the store(s) where the product was purchased or throw it out.

Public health authorities have confirmed a number of illnesses linked to products from XL Foods Inc. or illnesses associated with the XL Foods Inc. food safety investigation. For more information, visit the Public Health Agency of Canada's website at www.phac.gc.ca

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 at: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/cause/ecolie.shtml

For information on all food recalls, visit the CFIA's Food Recall Report at: http://active.inspection.gc.ca/eng/corp/recarapp_dbe.asp.

To find out more about receiving recalls by e-mail, and other food safety facts, visit: www.foodsafety.gc.ca. Food and consumer product recalls are also available at http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca.

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