Food Safety Investigation - E. coli in certain ground beef products

List of Recalled Products | Related Alerts (listed by date)

Following the initial recalls, the CFIA is continuing to investigate the underlying issues that may have contributed to positive E. coli results in certain ground beef products made by New Food Classics at Establishments 761 and 530

What we are doing

We are working in close cooperation with the Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Canada and our provincial and territorial partners to identify the source of the contamination and determine if any further products are affected. At the same time, our colleagues at the Public Health Agency of Canada are watching for any evidence of related illness.

What we know

Ground beef is a more challenging product to investigate, since it is generally a combination of meat products from many animals, from many areas of the country.

To date, different types of E. coli O157:H7 have been identified as part of the on-going investigation. This indicates the possibility of multiple sources of contamination.

Our investigation includes:

  • A traceback to determine whether ingredients in the ground beef were contaminated. This includes finding the suppliers who provided beef products to New Food Classics
  • A trace-forward to see where affected products were sent after they left the plant.
  • An examination of other plants owned by the company to see if they have potentially contaminated products.
  • Testing of product samples to determine if there is elevated E. coli O157:H7 presence.

It can take weeks for a food safety investigation to find the source of the contamination. Sometimes the source is never found.

Next steps

The CFIA will continue to assess any potential sources that may be identified as a result of the food safety investigation.

If additional products are identified, we will take action to remove them from the marketplace and advise consumers as soon as possible. As well, if our investigation rules out some products that we had previously believed were a risk, they will be removed from the list of recalled foods. It is possible that the list will change frequently.

Additional Information